Assassin's Creed: Alliance
by ArnoDorian
Summary: Elise's death and Arno's isolation in Francaide were merely visions conjured by the fabled Sword of Eden. Together Arno and Élise must face the past and fight to continue the legacy forged by Haytham Kenway and his son over a decade before.
1. The hunt

28 July 1794

i

I ran towards my enemy's exposed back, as Élise taunted the man, taking Germain's attention from me as I made my move. I lunged towards his blind side, my sword flashing towards the tyrant's back. He never sensed my movement. Germain was a dead man. The fight was over.  
And then, just as my sword point neared his exposed back, Germain's golden sword seemed to sense its master's impending death and it reacted, a blast of blue-white light erupted from the sword and exploded at my feet, striking the ground like a cannon blast and twice as loud. I had been so damn close to ending the five year hunt for the murderer, the man who had ruined my life, and then I was airborne.  
The temple chamber echoed with the sound of cannons booming and then I flew backwards, blasted off my feet by the surge of energy that had erupted from Germain's golden blade. My sword flew from my grasp, and I crashed to the ground with a groan, crumbling masonry dust filling my mouth. And then it got worse, much worse. A crumbling pillar toppled over and came crashing down towards me and landed on my chest.  
And then the world went dark.

 _Germain's sword rang as Élise engaged him, the fires of revenge filled her mind as she faced her father's murderer. I pushed the last of the pillar off my chest but I was too late. Germain's sword exploded just as Élise was about to strike a mortal blow. They were sent flying across the chamber and then both crashed to the ground. I ran to Élise, crying her name. She lay still on the ground, blood caking her face. Her deep green eyes were closed and the steady rise and fall of her chest was gone. The woman I loved was dead; I would never hold her again or see her mischievous smile light up her beautiful face. Tears ran down my face and splashed onto the temple's cold floor. My heart broke._

 _After the bloody battle I fled to Francaide to isolate myself with the grief of losing Élise. I could only watch as my sad life disintegrated before my eyes. The sad loneliness of depression set in and I greeted it as a friend. The drinking returned, along with the brawling. This was my life without Élise, full of nothing, with no meaning. Without Élise life wasn't worth living. I spent weeks there, in Francaide, battling a group of renegades known as the Raiders, a group of thieves who targeted the tombs of former French Kings in search of a mysterious spherical object know as an Apple of Eden. When I at last defeated them and smote their leader,_ _Philippe Rose, a mortal blow,_ _I felt nothing but the emptiness in my heart, caused from the loss of Élise._

 _My feelings for Élise never changed and I bore a hole in my heart that could never be fixed. I am alone._

And then I came too.  
The visions were still fresh upon my mind when white hot pain flared all over my body as I tried to push the broken pillar off my chest. I heaved… To no avail.  
"Arno!" called Élise. Good she was unhurt by the blast that had erupted from Germain's golden sword moments earlier.  
I looked around and saw her as she ran over to me, panic in her eyes.  
"I'm stuck!"  
Élise grabbed at the rubble pinning me down and started to pull it off my chest. Relief seeped into me as the first piece fell off, allowing me to breathe properly. I pushed harder and grunted as the next piece came free.  
A groan sounded from the centre of the chamber. Germain. The Templar was staggering to his feet and preparing to flee.  
Élise looked over at him, "He's getting away!"  
She started to rise.  
"Wait, I'm almost free"  
Élise glanced back at me, "I can take him"  
"No you can't. Not alone. Wait for me." I replied desperately, the visions of her impending death flooding my mind.  
Indecision covered her face as she glanced from me to Germain, and back again.  
"I'm sorry" she breathed and charged at the man who had ordered the murder her father all those years ago.  
"ÉLISE!"  
I watched her attack the Templar Grand Master and force him back across the room, her blade clashing against the Sword of Eden.

I screamed as the memory of her saying that she didn't want to be protected filled my vision and put all my strength into lifting the last of the rubble from my chest. I closed my eyes and heaved.  
The last of the rubble began to slide off and I pushed with more intensity.  
I could only watch as Élise battered through Germain's defense, each blow pushing the villain back.  
The sound of steel striking steel echoed through the room. I looked over at the duel as I heaved the last of the rubble off my body and leapt to my feet.  
It was all happening, my visions were coming true. Somehow I had been shown a glimpse into the future. I knew what would happen next and I felt tears moisten in my eyes as I ignored the pain in my chest and charged towards the dueling pair, hoping beyond hope hat I could avert what I had seen.  
Élise deflected Germain's sword and started swinging her sword in a blow that would open the villain from shoulder to hip. Just like in my vision.  
The sound of breaking glass resonated from Germain's sword. And then it happened, just as it did in my vision.  
Suddenly Germain's sword crackled angrily and with the sound of one hundred cannons, sent out a blast of golden light. Sparks erupted from the shattering sword that hurled both the Templar and Élise to the ground. They crashed down hard and my heart almost stopped when I saw Élise smash into the stone floor.  
I staggered back from the shockwave and when the dust had cleared saw Élise's prone form on the ground. I prayed to every god I knew of, every deity she would be okay, that my visions had been false. I ignored the burning pain in my chest and started running towards Élise. Her face was bloody and bruised and she lay unmoving on the cold stone floor of the temple. I ran to the woman I loved, calling her name.  
"Élise! ÉLISE! Élise! Élise! No…"  
I dropped to the ground next to her and lifted her face with my hands. Her eyes which had sparkled whenever she saw me were closed; her body which I had often held close was unmoving. Tears filled my eyes as I cradled her body and pushed her beautiful fiery hair back from her face. Tears streaked down my cheeks and splashed onto the cold stone floor of the temple. The visions had been true. I was destined to spend what was left of my miserable life alone.  
Then the memories of Élise flooded my mind. Our meeting, when we were eight, at the royal palace in Versailles, where I chased her and we stole apples. The next memory felt like a knife to the heart. Élise had gone to the Maison Royale de Saint-Louise to further her education and we had been separated for nearly ten years. We had kept in correspondence with letters and then finally one day a letter arrived from her telling me that she truly loved me.  
Ragged breathing came to my ears from across the room. Germain. Anger burned within me. How could that bastard still be alive after taking Élise … MY Élise from me?  
I rose and walked over to the fallen Grand Master, my hands balled into fists. I flexed my wrist and my hidden blade shot out of its sheath. For five years I had been haunted by my part in the death of Monsieur de la Serre and I had fought to redeem myself by killing the man behind the attack. But instead, I found that Germain was still breathing and that instead of the redemption that I had craved for, I had only added to my guilt with the death of the woman I loved. I dropped to my knees before Germain and as the anger consumed me, I slowly slid my hidden blade into the bottom of his chin. I killed him as slowly as possible, breaking the unwritten law of the Assassin Brotherhood. Germain must have been in agonizing pain when breathed his last, and yet I did not care, for what I felt was worse. I closed my eyes and suddenly memories that weren't my own flashed through my mind.  
I looked up and a younger Germain sat in front of me, studying a strange object. Suddenly brilliant golden symbols flashed around his head.  
"Bravo," said a voice from behind me. "You've slain the villain."  
I turned and saw the Germain that I had just killed standing there, facing me. "That is how you cast this little morality play in your mind isn't it?"  
"How…" I began, confusion written all over my face.  
"Oh, I'm not really here. I'm not really there either," Germain replied, gesturing to himself at the table. "At the moment I'm bleeding out on the floor of the temple. But it seems fit that the Father of Understanding has given us the time to talk."  
Another memory flashed and suddenly the younger Germain was kneeling on the floor clutching what appeared to be a book.  
"Ah. A particular favourite of mine. I did not understand the visions that haunted my mind, you see. Great towers of gold, cities shining white as silver. I thought I was going mad. Then I found this place. Jacques De Molay's vault. Through his writings I understood."  
"Understood what?" I asked the Templar, my temper rising.  
"That somehow, through the centuries, I was connected to Grand Master De Molay. That I had been chosen to purge the Order of decadence and corruption that had set in like rot. And to wash the world clean, and to restore to the truth of the Father of Understanding intended."  
The memory changed to François de la Serre exiling Germain from the Templar Order.  
"That seems to have gone over well." I stated.  
"Prophets are seldom appreciated in their own time. Exile and abasement forced me to reevaluate my strategy. Find new avenues for the realization of my purpose"  
"No matter the cost?"  
An image of a guillotine coming down on King Louis' neck flashed before my eyes.  
"New order never comes without the destruction of the old. And if men are made to fear untrammeled liberty, so much the better. A brief taste of chaos will remind them why they crave obedience."  
The next image made my heart stop; it was of Élise battling Germain, seconds before the explosion. She was standing there, so full of life and with a fire burning in her eyes. I reached out and lightly stroked the image's face with a great sadness in my heart.  
"It appears we part ways here. Think on this: the march of progress is slow, but inevitable as a glacier. All you have accomplished is to delay the inevitable. One death cannot stop the tide. Perhaps it will not be my hand that shepherds mankind back to its proper place, but it will be someone's. Think on this when you remember her." 

The images faded and I was back in the temple. I withdrew my blade from Germain's chin and flicked it back into the locking mechanism. I rose back to my feet and turned to Élise, and once more tears flooded my cheeks. The woman I loved and had shared so much of my life with was dead. I walked back over to her still form and knelt before her. I closed my eyes and remembered the first time we had kissed. Five years ago that had been. It was just after she had returned from the Maison Royale and we were finally reunited at a soirée. Now that I think back on it, the party had been held in her honour after her indoctrination to the Templar Order. I remembered everything about that moment. From the black and gold dress she hated, she said it made her feel like a mummy, "all wrapped up in this thing". To the way her face lit up when she saw me, and her beautiful smile that followed. I opened my wet eyes as a fresh wave of emotion rocked though my body. Then came the memory of our escape in the hot air balloon. Élise deciding to be with me, and me telling her that I loved her. I can picture her perfectly in my mind. Her long, beautiful red hair curling down her back, the softness of her touch. The way her eyes shone as she linked her arm through mine and looked at me. Her smile as she gazed into my eyes. My heart broke at the future we would no longer share.  
And then Élise stirred in my embrace and her chest rose. She was breathing.  
"Élise? Élise!" I whispered, hope flaring in my breast. Had the visions been only dreams after all?  
Her eyes flicked open and she gazed back at me. The mischievous grin I had known so well since I was eight came across her face,  
"I told you that I could take him."  
"What were you thinking? You nearly got yourself killed!" I started, "You... You should have waited for me."  
"As I recall you did the same thing when you went and faced Bellec without me," she retorted with a frown.  
I shook my head and chuckled, of course, "You're right. You always are"  
"Help me up, we should leave this horrible place"  
I helped Élise stand and she leaned on me for support. She tenderly linked her fingers with mine and looked over at the man who had murdered her father, the man who had nearly ended her life.  
"It's over," she whispered and stepped towards Germain, "It's finally over"  
"So, what will you do now?" I asked her, "Now that Germain is dead."  
"I've spent the last five years of my life hunting Germain to avenge my father's death," she said with a thoughtful expression, "And in that time I have not once stopped to think about what would happen once it was all over. There is one thing however…"  
Élise turned to me and smiled, now holding both my hands with hers.  
"Go on," I grinned at her.  
"Remember when we were flying above Paris in that balloon and I said to you that 'going forwards isn't necessarily an ending?'"  
I smiled back to her and gazed into her eyes, "Yes?"  
"Arno I…" I stopped her words with a kiss.  
When we broke apart she lightly shoved my chest and grinned, the words from the hot air balloon on her tongue, "You cheated"  
"You took too long" I replied, giving her a mischievous grin.  
She looked into my eyes, "I love you."

ii

I walked slowly towards the entrance of the Assassin's hideout, located deep within the heart of Paris. I held the Sword of Eden in my hands, wrapped tightly within Germain's black Templar robes; the dead don't need robes after all, do they. Was I doing the right thing? Giving up the weapon that had almost cost Élise her life to an Order that had banished me and branded me a traitor? I wasn't sure, but the sword needed to be contained, and the vaults within the hideout were the perfect location to put it, far from the reach of any man who would use it to further their own ends. I gave a final glance back at the carriage that I had arrived in, half regretting asking Élise to stay while I gave up the sword. No, I had to do this myself. I had to be rid of the final piece of this sad story that had taken five years of my life.  
An Assassin recruit stood guard by the entrance to the lair, a hand on his sword as he peered around, looking for any threats. I grinned when I saw the surprise on his face as he saw me.  
"Arno? What in God's name are you doing here?" he gestured towards me, "You do recall being banished, don't you?"  
"Hello Michel, and yes I do remember that incident," I replied, giving the recruit a cocky smile, "I am here to deliver something to the new Grand Master, and to beg an audience with the Council."  
"The Council won't like that, Arno," he said sternly, shaking his head.  
"Nonetheless, I must speak with them. In any case, who is the new Mentor? Mirabeau was yet to be replaced when I left."  
"Of course," he placed a hand on my shoulder and ushered me in through the so familiar entrance and into the Assassin hideout, "You may recall Monsieur Julien Bonnaire. I don't yet know how, but he managed to gather more support than even Master Trenet did. Which is lucky for you," he nodded to me as we walked down the flight of stairs, before continuing at a whisper, "he has managed put Trenet, Quemar and Beylier back in their places and was one of Mirabeau's foremost supporters. Be wary though, many in the Order will be opposed to your return."  
I nodded my thanks, and prayed that I would get an audience with the Council, and not a sword in my gut. There were gasps from all about as we made our way to the council chamber itself, I had been exiled after all, and yet here I was, striding through the hideout as if I were still an Assassin. And then we walked in to the dark sanctum of the Council chambers itself, torches lined the walls giving the circular room an eerie glow, one that made the hooded robes of my former brothers look even more sinister. Many of the assembled Assassins were glaring at me openly, but most just seemed curious. I hoped that the new Mentor felt the same, or I was as good as dead. I gazed up towards the balcony where the Council stood, peering down at me from the ledge. The three Masters of the Brotherhood, Quemar, Beylier and Trenet still stood at their old perches on either side of the new Grand Master, watching me with cold eyes as I entered. I turned my gaze to the newly minted Mentor of the brotherhood. Julien Bonnaire carried himself with as much dignity as his predecessor had, and watched as I strode into the room with a kind of curiosity. I heaved a sigh of relief, so I wasn't going to be killed, for now at least.  
"What is that Templar loving traitor doing here?" I heard Trenet yell, watching as her face contorted into open despise for me.  
"Master Trenet, would you be so kind as to refrain," Bonnaire told her calmly and I couldn't help but smile as Madame Trenet clamped her lips down tightly and eyed me with distain. Bonnaire was clearly Mirabeau's equal when it came to silencing the other Council members. The Grand Master returned his gaze to me and indicated for me to step forward.  
"Arno Dorian, I trust that you have a good reason for begging an audience, and for returning to us after banishment."  
"I do, Grand Master," I replied and untied the robe from around the Sword of Eden. As the cloak fell to the ground, all eyes were drawn to the golden sword in my hands. Cries came from all about the room,  
"Is that…?"  
"It cannot be…"  
"I have returned to deliver this sword into your possession," I glanced around at the shock that the sword's appearance had caused, "this blade is indeed one of the fabled pieces of Eden."  
"He's lying," growled Trenet angrily, "this is a ruse so that he can win back our trust."  
"Be silent," shot back Bonnaire with a glare, "If you cannot see that that blade is indeed the Sword of Eden, then the future of this Brotherhood is a bleak one."  
That silenced her.  
"How did you come by the blade, Monsieur Dorian," asked Master Quemar after a few moments.  
"I took it from Germain," I replied, "but be warned, the sword is dangerous."  
"Of that I have no doubt," Quemar nodded, "so then, the Templar Grand Master is dead at last."  
"That he is."  
"You have done us a great service, Arno, despite not being of the Brotherhood any longer," called Bonnaire with a hint of a smile.  
"I believe that what I did was for a just cause."  
"On that we are all in agreeance," the Mentor told me, and to my surprise saw Trenet nodding, how she must have hated knowing that I had done the right thing by the Assassins, not only bringing about the end of Germain's tyrannical rule that had lead the revolution in to heinous acts of cruelty, but also by giving up the sword as well.  
I rewrapped the blade and passed it to an Assassin, who took the weapon up the stairs and presented it to Bonnaire.  
"The sword seems to have lost its power since Germain's death," I told the Grand Master, "All the same I heed caution."  
"Rest assured it will be locked securely within the vaults," he replied with a nod, before continuing, "Are we all in agreeance that what Monsieur Dorian did, despite being for his own reasons, was the act of not a traitor, well how can he be? He broke none of our tenants, but rather the actions of a good man."  
I looked about the room as every head nodded to Bonnaire in turn, and many spoke their agreeance, even Quemar, Beylier and Trenet nodded, the three who had played a big role in my banishment agreed with the Grand Master.  
Bonnaire looked around thoughtfully, "Then I see no reason for this man to be an exile any longer."  
"You are forgetting the small fact that he took in with a Templar, the daughter of a former Grand Master at that, herself a Templar Grand Master in training." Master Trenet told the Mentor, would she do anything to be rid of me?  
"You are the one forgetting that not only was he banished for no clear reasoning, other than his mind was set on redeeming himself, but that he also brought the artifact to us and not the Templars. He knew that he was risking his life by returning here. We could have simply had his head and been done with the matter, but he put his trust in us, so we must put ours in him."  
"So there is no dissuading you?"  
"No, there is no dissuading me."  
"Alright…" Trenet replied after a few moments, "I'll put my faith in you."  
Bonnaire looked to Quemar, who nodded, "I am with you as well."  
"And I" spoke up Beylier.  
They must have been seething, but there was nothing that they could do to overrule the Grand Master. Bonnaire strode down the stairs and drew his sword, gesturing for me to kneel, and I did. So I wasn't going to be drinking the filth that I had on my initiation? Good, I had well and truly had my share of visions.  
"Arno Victor Dorian," began Bonnaire, "Are you prepared to travel the Eagles path once more?"  
"I am." I meant it. I wanted to be more than just a man, I wanted a purpose again.  
"I reinstate your former ranks and privileges as a member of our Creed. Your past is buried, turned to dust, your banishment and exile forgotten."  
Bonnaire glanced at the other Masters who had joined him in front of me.  
I closed my eyes, remembering my initiation, where it had been Mirabeau saying the words, with Bellec looking on.  
This time however I felt Bonnaire touch my shoulder with his sword, and I heard gasps from about that room. This was new.  
"You have proven yourself to be a man of honour and courage, a man willing to go to great lengths for what he believes in."  
What was going on?  
"Rise Assassin."  
I stood back to full height, bowing slightly to Bonnaire.  
"Tonight you are reborn, your sins and failures a forgotten. You are reborn, a _Master_ of the Assassin Brotherhood."  
A _Master?_ My surprise must have shown.  
"Come now Arno, you are deserving of the title bestowed upon you. Mirabeau himself told me of his plans to make you a Master shortly before he was betrayed."  
Mirabeau had planned to make me a Master? I shook my head, registering the look of shock on Master Trenet's face. I grinned inwardly, the very man she had exiled had just been granted equal rank as her. Take that Madame Trenet.  
I bowed to Julien Bonnaire, "I will do all that is within my power to uphold the rank that you have given me."  
"I have no doubt about that, Master Dorian." Again, _Master!_ The word sounded almost foreign to my ears, but I felt a surge of pride in my blood and I knew that my father would have been proud.  
"Now," Bonnaire nodded to the other Masters, "we have a task for you. A former noble by the name of Xavier de Maximilien has been causing his fair share of trouble with the revolutionaries. Treating the poor like dirt, he even slaughtered a party that went into his fort under a flag of truce."  
"It sounds as if this Monsieur Maximilien needs an awakening," I replied with a smile.  
"That he does Arno," added Beylier, "the problem is that his fortress is positioned in a key strategic location. It has cannons overlooking every approach, and even has a small moat."  
"We have received reports that the revolutionaries are planning to march on the fort within the next few days," said Master Trenet through pursed lips, clearly she still wasn't happy at me being made an Assassin once more. "and we would like you to lead a small force to help the revolutionaries arrest Monsieur Maximilien, alone they won't even be able to get close to him."  
"We will send you word when the revolutionaries decide to strike," concluded Bonnaire with a nod, "so until then, recover from your fight with Germain and prepare yourself for the fight that is looming."  
"Of course, Mentor," I told Bonnaire, before glancing around at the assembled Masters, "I will bring Maximilien to justice."

I walked alone through the now empty corridors, deep in my thoughts about the visions I had been shown in the Temple du Marais, and the fight to come.  
"One last thing, Arno, before you depart."  
I turned to see Master Trenet striding towards me. What did she want now?  
"Yes?" I scowled.  
"Tell me, do you truly love the Templar? Élise de la Serre."  
Ah, so that is what this is about. My being with a Templar, of course, the disapproval was plain to see on her face. I looked about to see that there were no other Assassins nearby to witness our confrontation. Good.  
"I do," I replied hotly. I had nothing more to say to Sophie Trenet.  
"May I ask, why? The Templars are our sworn enemies."  
"Élise is nothing like Germain and the other extremists within the Templar Order, I can assure you of that. But I doubt that you would ever understand why I truly love her."  
"As you say, however there are some within our Order that would deem the union unwise."  
"With all due respect Master Trenet, I do not care for the opinion of the Brotherhood," I replied, my anger rising as she made her disapproval known, "or that your own for that matter."  
She shot me a dark look, "I see," she said through pursed lips.  
I returned her glare, reading the threat in her eyes, "make no mistake that if you so much as try to touch a single hair on her head," I stepped towards her, barely a pace away now, "no Assassin, no army, nor your God himself will be able to protect you."

iii

"You? A Master of the Assassins?" chuckled Élise when I returned to the carriage and sat facing her.  
"Apparently Mirabeau had been thinking about it for quite some time," I replied with a grin, "The word itself sounds foreign to me."  
Élise laughed again, "I cannot believe it. I expected them to take you back with open arms, but not to make you a Master."  
"It came as a great shock, especially to those who had banished me in the first place."  
"I must say that there is no man more deserving of the title," she grinned sarcastically, " _Master_ Dorian."  
"Many thanks," I replied, equally as sarcastic, "Mademoiselle de la Serre."  
Élise gave me a playful smack on the knee, "don't even start, Assassin," she flirted, giving me a wink.  
"Oh, I wouldn't dare, Templar."  
And then we both started laughing, as though the weight of the last five years had disappeared from our shoulders. We were children once more, the same ones who had caused Monsieur de la Serre so much grief in our childhood.  
"Arno, I am proud of you, really," she said after a few moments.  
"I know," I replied with a smile, taking one of her hands, and gazing into her deep green eyes. Then I felt my heart ache. What would I have done if Élise had been killed by the blast in the temple?  
"What is it?" she said, her voice riddled with concern as she saw my smile fade. She squeezed my hand as I remembered the painful visions.  
"When you were lying on the floor of the temple, I thought… I thought that you had been killed, Élise."  
"You weren't going to be rid of me that easily," she replied, giving me a smile. Gods she was beautiful. She moved over and sat beside me, giving me a kiss, "I'd rather not talk about the temple right now though. It is been and done, never to happen again."  
And suddenly everything felt better. She leaned into my side and I put an arm around her waist and held her. We sat in silence for a few moments, just enjoying being together at last.  
"You never told me," I began thoughtfully, "where exactly are we off too?"  
"Somewhere in Saint-Cyr," she said with a smile, "the place that I was hiding from the Templars after the death of my father. I'm taking you into my other life, Arno."  
I smiled and held her tighter, her 'other' life? The one that I had not been a part of in the last five years. The life that she was finally ready to show me. We were finally able to live a life without fear of receiving a knife in the back. The thought made my heart soar.

The next day, after a bumpy twenty mile, or there abouts, journey, our carriage trundled to a stop in Saint-Cyr, and more precisely as I was soon to discover, the place where Élise had been in hiding for the last five years. I helped Élise down and tossed a coin purse to the driver.  
"Many thanks, Monsieur" I called to him with a nod.  
He tipped his wide hat back at us and bid us good day, before clicking with his tongue and spurring the horses onwards, disappearing down the cobbled road, whistling to himself cheerfully.

Together we strode to the large steel gates that stood open between a large brick wall that ran in both directions for nearly a mile. I looked around and saw the sign that rose above the gates for the first time.  
"Isn't this ' _Le palais de la misère'?"_ I asked, recalling the name she had given the school in one of her many letters.  
Élise laughed and playfully smacked my arm, "During my last few months here I came to an understanding with the headmistress," she told me mysteriously.  
"Intriguing" I muttered, and then turned a shade of red as she laughed, took me by the hand and lead me through the gates of the all girls school and into her 'other' life.

Three large grey brick buildings stood before us at the end of the path we were now on, the formed a ring around a large courtyard, reminding me of the royal palace of Versailles. To the right a small river ran passed the school and beyond. The lawns surrounding the school were well looked after it appeared. It was nothing like the hellish place Élise had often told me about in her letters, I noticed with a bemused smile. As we slowly made our way towards the right hand wing of the school I noticed an older woman with a thoughtful expression reading from a newly opened letter. A man, the messenger I assumed mounted his black steed and clopped back towards the school gates. Élise steered me towards a path that wound around the right hand wing of the school.  
We hadn't gone far when a shrill female voice screeched out to us, "Élise de la Serre? Is that you child?"  
The woman was striding out from the main building towards us, a cane in her right hand and the envelope in her left.  
Élise grinned as she replied, "Hello Madame Levene, it is wonderful to see you."  
The woman reached us and her old eyes were able to see us properly for the first time.  
"It's good to see you Élise," she said simply and then pulled Élise into a tight hug, "Jacques told me that you had left and probably for good. I never thought that I'd see you again."  
Madame Levene, I guessed would have been around sixty years old, was also nothing like that satanic person that Élise had written to me about. She wore a black dress, befitting of a headmistress, and her grey hair was tied into a neat bun. Madame Levene stepped back from Élise with a hint of a smile upon her lips.  
"I'm so glad to be back here…" replied Élise with a smile, looking around at the school, "And I never thought that I'd ever say that about this place."  
Madame Levene smiled, obviously remembering the rebellious young Élise from her time at the school, and turned to me for the first time, "And you must be the Arno Dorian that Élise has told me so much about."  
A gave her a short bow and kissed her left hand, "It's a pleasure, Madame"  
"You'll have your hands full with this one Monsieur, as I've no doubt you are already aware"  
Élise blushed beside me and looked away.  
I grinned, "And don't I know it"  
Madame Levene reached into the envelope and pulled out a letter, "This arrived earlier today. The revolutionaries have been spreading these around the country like wildfire. Your work I take it?" she inquired, handing the note to Élise.  
"The renowned silver smith François Thomas Germain has been found dead in the Temple du Marais after an altercation with noblewoman Élise de la Serre and an unknown hooded accomplice" read Élise with a triumphant smile.  
"It was indeed us Madame," I stated, "Germain was the man who orchestrated the murder of Monsieur de la Serre all those years ago."  
"I see," replied Madame Levene with pursed lips, "The revolutionaries won't be pleased, and I take it, neither will those Templars of yours"  
"It would appear not" said Élise with a frown, "However, the revolutionaries will forget it soon enough, and only extremists within the Templar Order supported Germain… By now they will already be fighting over who will take Germain's place as Grand Master."  
"So you won't be in any danger then child?"  
"No Madame, I should think not."  
"Good… Good. Well I'll let the pair of you go now," Madame Levene turned to me, "Make sure she doesn't get in to any trouble Mr Dorian."  
I grinned, "I don't think that that is possible, Madame."  
I received a hidden jab from Élise who glared daggers at me.  
"Oh and Élise child, would you let my son know that I will be joining you this evening?"  
"Of course, Madame Levene."

We farewelled the headmistress and Élise lead me down the winding path that took us behind the school. At the bottom of the hill Élise pulled me towards the groundsman's lodge. It stood in a small clearing in the forest. Smoke wafted from the chimney and chatter came to us through an open window. A few smaller buildings were scattered around the lodge, and a pile of stacked wood stood by the door. Élise nudged me with a laugh and raced down the last of the winding path to the house, and I eagerly followed with a smile.  
Élise was knocking on the wooden door as I arrived and stood beside her. As the door opened inwards Élise threw me a smile that made my heart flutter and then looked back at the girl standing before us with an open mouth.  
"ÉLISE!" the girl cried and threw herself onto her friend, her blonde hair streaming behind her.  
"Hello Hélène" beamed Élise as the girl stepped back, "I'd like you to meet Arno."  
I smiled and planted a kiss on Hélène's hand. "Mademoiselle Hélène"  
Hélène smiled at me with tears of joy in her eyes and then hugged me as well. I laughed as she awkwardly stepped back and muttered an apology. I grinned at the girl and she returned her gaze to Élise, "I thought you were gone… We all did. Monsieur Weatherall told us about what had happened and he has returned to the drinking in despair for you."  
"I'm so, so sorry Hélène. I should never have left in the way I did, I really am a stupid arrogant girl."  
"That is precisely what Monsieur Weatherall said…" Hélène said with a smile and ushered us inside.

The lodge smelt pleasantly of flowers and was lit by candles residing on a rectangular wooden table in the centre of the room. A homely fire was crackling at the back of the room and three wooden chairs surrounded it. A gasp came from a young man sitting at the table; he seemed around Hélène's age and his long black hair was tightly pulled back. His jaw dropped so far I thought it was going to fall off. He was dressed in a white shirt, red jacket and black breeches. As he rose words tumbled from his mouth, "Mademoiselle Élise! You're back"  
The boy leapt to his feet and wrapped Élise in a bear hug with a grin that covered his entire face.  
Élise laughed, "It's good to see you too Jacques."  
Jacques, Élise had told me, was the illegitimate son of Madame Levene.  
"I didn't expect to see you again, especially after that message you left me."  
"Well Jacques," came Élise's reply, "I did mention that an Arno Dorian would be stopping by, and well, here he is"  
He let Élise go and shook my hand vigorously, "It's a pleasure, Monsieur Arno. Élise has told me a lot about you."  
I grinned at Élise, "It appears that everyone here seems to know me better than I know myself"  
Jacques laughed, before turning to shout towards a closed door at the back of the room. "Hey Freddie, there's something you should see."  
A gruff English voice cursed from the next room before bellowing, "Bloody hell lad, give an old man some time to find his crutches, I only have one leg left after all"  
We all laughed as the door opened, and then the man stepped forwards.

It was a face I partially recognized from my time living with the La Serre family. It was more wrinkled now than it was all those years ago, and snowy a white mane and beard stood in place of the black and grey I remembered. And he now only had a single leg. With a sigh Frederick Weatherall limped into the room, his crutches clacking on the floor.  
A look of surprise covered his face; "Well I'll be buggered, you came back earlier than even I expected."  
Élise crossed the room in seconds and planted a kiss on each of Mr Weatherall's cheeks, before hugging him tightly.  
"I'm so sorry for what I said" she said with tears in her eyes.  
"It's alright girl," he replied. And at that moment I knew he had forgiven her for the argument Élise had told me about. She held him tighter, and he noticed her tears.  
"Careful now, you don't want to knock an old man off his crutches, Mademoiselle," he said, suddenly embarrassed.  
Élise let her mentor go and wiped away her tears with a smile.  
Mr Weatherall, as Élise was fond of calling him, set his gaze upon me.  
"Well bloody hell. Last time I saw you young Arno, you were but knee-high to a grasshopper", he said with a smile, "and now you stand before me as the spitting image of your father."  
"Thank you Monsieur," I replied with a grin at the imagery and Élise smothered a laugh beside me. She had told me about the time when Frederick had likened her height to a grasshopper  
"And what of that bastard Germain?" inquired Mr Weatherall, "Have you made any plans yet?"  
Of course he didn't know, how could he?  
"We tracked him to Jacques De Molay's vault yesterday," I told him, "Hidden within the Temple du Marais in Paris."  
"I see. By you both being here then I can imagine that you got Germain after all" continued the old Templar, "and may I say, I did not expect you to get him this soon, if at all.."  
"Germain breathed his last yesterday, Monsieur," began Élise with a nod, "Without Arno though, I probably would be dead."  
Mr Weatherall grinned at me, "I'm guessing her impulsiveness nearly had it in for her did it?"  
"It was very close Monsieur," I nodded, half a smile tugging on my lips, "Luckily she was trained to use a sword bloody well"  
"Come here boy," he growled with a smile, and I embraced him like an old friend. 

iv

Madame Levene joined us later that evening and we talked, all six of us. I soon learnt everything about Élise's 'other' life. Firstly Mr Weatherall recounted his time on the run with Élise, and with her input I finally came to understand the hard journey they had taken. From Élise infiltrating the home of Jennifer Scott, sister to the legendary American Templar Haytham Kenway, to the fight with the Carroll family, which ended with the death of May Carroll, and the years of being hunted by the family that followed. Élise and I told them about our journey together over the last few years, and much to Mr Weatherall's amusement, we even shared some of our childhood memories. I told Mr Weatherall of how Élise fought Germain in the temple. Like a lion I told him, a true credit to her teacher. Élise blushed and the table erupted with laughter. As it turns out Hélène and Jacques were betrothed and set to be married in the following week. They were also expecting a child within the next few months, an overjoyed Jacques told us. They welcomed Élise back with open arms and invited me to stay with them. I happily accepted and suddenly I had a new family. Mr Weatherall then spun a tale about his time with the Templars in England, falling in love with Élise's mother, Julie, and then finally moving to France to serve the La Serre family.

After Madame Levene had returned to the school, Hélène and Jacques bid us goodnight and went to bed, a tired Mr Weatherall soon followed, leaving me with Élise sitting by the crackling fire. She had shown me the letters that the deceased American Templar Grand Master, Haytham Kenway, had sent to his sister, Jennifer Scott, who had in turn passed them to Élise.  
And as I read them with a smile I realized that Haytham's wishes had come true with me and Élise. Wishes that both the Assassins and Templars could work together for a common goal.  
Élise was the happiest I had seen her in many, many years and I couldn't help but smile at her as I held her close. Élise cuddled into me and looked up into my eyes with a smile and she playfully gave me a peck on the lips.  
"I'm glad that you had these people by your side for the last five years" I smiled down at Élise, "It must have made everything that happened so much more bearable"  
"Without them I would have died a long time ago" she grinned back at me.  
"Without a doubt" I replied, earning a smack.  
We sat there in silence for a few minutes before she sat up and looked at me again.  
"Arno… I want you to know that the only reason I am still a person is because of you. You were my savior after my father was killed."  
"Élise…" I began, but she continued.  
"For the last five years all I have wanted to do was avenge my father, and now that we have, I feel nothing Arno, nothing at all. We have lost so much Arno, and all we have accomplished is to bring a murderer to justice. Our families are gone, the Templars turned their back on me, and we have lost more than most people would lose in a lifetime… Tell me, what have we really accomplished?"  
I thought for a few moments before replying,  
"What have we achieved in the last five years? We have stopped dozens of tyrants from ruining innocent lives. We have avenged your father, and in doing so, stopped the reign of a power hungry monster," I began, "Élise, we have shown both the Assassins and Templars that what Haytham Kenway, your parents and Mirabeau pleaded for is indeed possible, that the Assassins and Templars could work together and fight a common cause. We have shown them the peace is truly possible for the two orders and in doing so saved hundreds, if not thousands of lives. We have lost more than most people could in a dozen lifetimes, but look at what we have gained; a new family and we have finally found each other and can live how we were supposed to five years ago"  
"For almost fifteen years I carried around the weight of knowing I was going to be Grand Master of the Templar Order. And in that time I lost my mother and father and I thought I had lost you too. Then the Order turned its back on me. I have spent five years on the run from the Order and been tracking down Germain at the same time. I have lost my entire family and so many of my friends to a destiny that was given to a six year old girl in Versailles all those years ago… There is something broken in me Arno, you saw it when I shot Robespierre…"  
"You had no choice, Élise."  
"I shot a defenseless man in the jaw Arno, in a way that he would still be alive afterwards," she said sadly, "I don't know if I will ever be whole again. I can't lose anyone else."  
I looked at her, truly looked at her and saw the sadness hidden in her eyes. And for the first time I realized that the weight of her Templar destiny had nearly crushed her. I pulled her tight and kissed her forehead.  
"Élise de la Serre, as long as I am alive you will never be alone again. Whichever way you go, I will be beside you. I love you, and nothing will ever change that."  
And with that I asked her to marry me. 

v

I woke up early the next morning in the room that I now shared with Élise. As I sat up, Élise, now my betrothed, stirred beside and gave me a playful smack on the chest for waking her. I grinned and rolled out of our bed as Élise propped herself up on her elbows. Her red hair hung in messy curls down passed her shoulders and a smile played across her lips.  
"Leaving already?" she said innocently, brushing a lock of rogue hair from her face.  
I grinned, classic Élise sarcasm, how I loved it.  
"Thought I'd get in some practice," I replied, indicating where my sword leaned against the far wall, "before we leave for Versailles."  
Élise threw me a wild smile and threw off the bed covers, "Well then, I'd better come and show you how to use a sword properly then."  
"I'll take that as a challenge then, shall I? Mademoiselle de la Serre" I retorted with a grin.  
I swiftly pulled on my breeches and white shirt. My maroon jerkin and cream waistcoat soon followed. Finally I shrugged on my long blue frock coat and buckled my sword to my waist.  
I turned back to Élise as she finished buttoning up her own short frockcoat over her waistcoat, before tying her hair back in the way she favoured. I grinned and held her sword out to her.  
She took it with a mischievous grin, "Remember when we sparred as children?"  
I shot her with a mock glare, remembering when she used to beat me time and time again. No doubt due to her Templar training. No doubt.  
"Things will be a little different this time," I chuckled, walking over to her, "I've had some practice"  
Élise ran her hands down my sides and gently took my hands, her eyebrows raised "Oh this will be fun" she flirted and gave me a peck on the lips.  
"But not for you" I replied with a wink as she pulled away.  
She gave a cry of mock outrage and gave me a gentle shove.  
"Will you two keep it down?" shouted a weary Mr Weatherall from the room beneath us.  
I shared a playful look with Élise and we started to laugh, children again. Children caught running wild by an angry nursemaid, or caught stealing food from the cook.  
Still laughing, Élise grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the door.  
And I couldn't have been happier.

Mr Weatherall, as it turns out, wanted to "see what you can do", and joined us in the courtyard, where he sat on an old tree stump, humming pleasantly. I quickly unbuckled my sword and shrugged my long coat off, placing them on one of the nearby benches. I turned back to Élise and caught the practice stanch she had thrown to me, giving it a few experimental swings.  
She stood opposite me, side on with her red curls hanging down her back. A self confident smile played along her lips as she watched me take up position.  
"Ready to get beaten again?" she teased with one of her famous playful smiles.  
I twirled the tip of my 'sword' in a mock figure of eight, "I am ready to show you how to fight" I joked and returned her sarcastic grin.  
We circled each other, both perfectly balanced, blades slightly raised. I searched for a weakness and found none in her poise, no doubt she was looking for an opening too. And then she leapt towards me, her stanch flashing in a blur. Our blades cracked together as I deflected the blow and struck out with my own, but Élise was already twirling away with the grace of a master. We came together again and again, weaving in and out, sometimes almost touching, before spinning away from each other. It was like a dance. As we parted again I was breathing heavily and I hadn't even come close to landing a blow while Élise, curse her, was nearly breaking through my every defense. She stood opposite me again, her eyes sparkling and the ends of her lips slightly raised, as if amused, while she watched me with calculating eyes.  
At last we came together and I don't know how for long we fought, but then in a blindingly fast attack she battered her way through my defense and rapped me sharply on my shoulder.  
She sent me a grin as she stepped back panting with a fire in her eyes.  
Mr Weatherall was clapping from his tree stump and grinned at the pair of us, "Well bugger me that was what I call a fight. I've never seen someone that close to Élise in skill before, you must have had a bloody good teacher Arno."  
"He taught me well Monsieur, but lost his way in the end" I replied to Mr Weatherall, remembering my former mentor, Pierre Bellec, while placing my stanch back.  
"Well it happens," agreed the older man thoughtfully, "You know, I trained with Germain myself many years ago… It seems only fitting that my pupil all but defeated him."  
"You trained Germain?" Élise shook her head in wonder as she buckled on her sword.  
Mr Weatherall gave a mirthless laugh, "Aye Mademoiselle, that guttershite was the sparring partner of Freddie Weatherall all those years ago…"  
As I pulled my long coat back on Élise went and joined her teacher, leaning on a wooden fence beside him, "I've been thinking about what you said when we… 'talked'"  
Mr Weatherall looked at her in surprise, "What? You actually paid attention to me?"  
Élise smirked back at him, "Now that Germain and many of the men who betrayed my father are dead, perhaps I should try to make peace with the Order."  
He whistled and shook his head, "Christ, you're actually going to do it."  
"As you said it will take time," she looked over at me and smiled, "But I do have time now, and I am ready to show them Haytham Kenway's beliefs."  
"Well it's about bloody time you started thinking," Frederick replied with a ghost of a smile, "But what have you done with Élise de la Serre?"

After a day of hard riding Élise and I reached the abandoned de la Serre chateau in Versailles. The gates hung from their hinges and the mansion itself had been looted of everything of value, now barely a shadow of its former glory. But still, it brought back all of my childhood memories with the family I had come to love as my own. It felt like returning to home, albeit a very run down version of the place I used to live in. We tethered our horses in the yard and strode through the large doors of the chateau. I had spent months staying here while I was on the hunt for François de la Serre's murderer, and it was within these walls that Élise had saved me from a broken heart, among other unsavory things, in our final days going after Germain. Élise looked at me playfully, clearly remembering the mischief we had gotten up to within these walls all those years ago as children. She beckoned me towards the staircase that rose in front of us, "Come on", she grinned, before dashing up the stairs.  
And with a laugh I followed her, remembering a childhood, no, a life time of chasing after her and in to trouble.  
We arrived at her father's study, the room I had been staying in while on the hunt for Germain. On the bench there was a journal, which Élise hastily picked up and sifted through the pages until she came across an unopened letter. Addressed to me.  
"Élise?" I asked, wondering what she was doing.  
"Oh it's nothing," she replied innocently, before tearing the letter up and storing the journal in her satchel, "Nothing that matters anymore."  
"And the journal?" I asked, bewildered by what had just happened.  
Élise turned to me and smiled, "Just something I left in case the fight didn't go our way."  
Ah, so that was it. She had left her journal and a letter for me in case she didn't return from the confrontation with Germain. I walked up to Élise and entwined my fingers with hers, a wave of emotion filled me. Élise had thought she was going to her death, and she very nearly had. The weight of the last five years seemed to crash down upon her and she started to shake. I pulled her into an embrace. She leaned into me and rested her head on my chest. I wrapped my arms around her and we just stood there, holding each other.  
"Remember all those years ago when we snuck in here to escape your nurse maid?" I said, a devilish smile spreading across my face.  
"Ruth wasn't very happy about it was she? And then when Father found out? I swear he nearly killed me," Élise replied and started giggling at the memory of her father walking in on us hiding in here, a pair of eight year olds escaping our 'duties' as it were. Élise looked up into my eyes before giving me a playful kiss. With a devilish smile she turned and raced back though the chateau, out the wide doors and into Versailles. I chased after her, both of us laughing, once again we were children, well we had never really grown up, had we? We wound our way through the deserted streets and finally we came to the royal palace, formally the residence to the departed King Louis. Élise pulled my hand with a giggle and then together we were racing down the pathway and into the palace itself. I followed, grinning as she lead me though the oh so familiar maze of rooms and corridors of the palace, each bringing back a new memory, whether it be hiding an important relic to breaking one of the suits of armour that had once lined the halls. All the furniture was now covered in sheets and most of the valuables that had once stood proud in the corridors had been looted by revolutionaries. Élise lead me through the hall that had often served as a ball room for special occasions, and then I knew where she was leading me. I chuckled to myself and followed her through another two rooms until we stood breathless outside a closed door. I knew this room inside out, and smiling, Élise led me in. This was the room we had first kissed in, the room where I had jokingly mocked Élise for wearing a dress; this was the room where I learnt what true happiness was.  
Élise grabbed my arm and pulled me in with a laugh and then just like five years before we kissed. It was as long and passionate as the first time, and when we finally broke apart we laughed. I took her hand and spun her in a circle. We danced for a few moments before Élise wrapped her arms around my neck. I hooked mine around her back and then we started to slowly dance back and forth. All former loss forgotten, and in that moment it was just the two of us. I closed my eyes and felt her smile against my neck as we slowly moved around the room. I felt my love for her as keenly as I did all those years ago, no, I felt it even more. And I was content.

I can't remember how long we stood in that room waltzing back and forth, but the sun was low in the sky when we finally made our way back to the entrance of the La Serre chateau. I looked balefully out into the cold darkness that shrouded Versailles and we decided to stay in the chateau for the night. We stayed up for hours before a tired Élise lead me by the hand to one of the many bedchambers in the Le Serre mansion.  
I woke with a start at the sound of the chateau doors booming open. Élise was already on her feet and striding out of the chamber buckling on her sword. Could it be thieves, come to loot the chateau? Good luck to them, most had already been taken, and I couldn't see Élise giving up anything that had belonged to her family any time soon. I leapt to my feet and, sharing a glance with her, jogged to the stairwell.

We reached the bottom of the staircase when Élise gasped. A man stood in the entrance, leaning against one of the door posts.  
"Monsieur Ruddock? What are you doing here?"  
Bernard Ruddock wore a simple grey suit that looked somewhat like Assassin robes. His hair was pure white and he wore a sword and two pistols on his belt. He casually stood up and took us in before replying in a cultured, but noticeable English accent,  
"Ah, Mademoiselle Élise, I've come for the letters."  
"So, you opened the letter I sent you then," Élise said with a frown, "Before you were supposed to."  
"You can't be too careful these days, Mademoiselle"  
Élise slowly nodded to Ruddock, "I don't have the letters here, Monsieur, but I will gratefully give them to you, that is, If you wouldn't mind meeting me here tomorrow, while I retrieve them for you."  
"As you wish," said Ruddock with a smile.  
These letters that they spoke of, Élise told me later, were the ones Haytham Kenway had sent to Jennifer Scott, and Ruddock was going to use them to gain favour with the English Assassins and rejoin their ranks. Shortly after dismissing Ruddock, Élise and I rode towards the spangled gates, and as we left I looked back that place I had grown up in as the ward to François de la Serre. I fancied that I saw a young Élise being chased by myself as a boy and smiled at the thought.  
On the long ride back to the Maison Royale I learnt that Ruddock had once been an Assassin and had even made an attempt on Julie de la Serre's life almost twenty years ago. Élise had also saved his life twice.  
Even after what she had told me I couldn't shake off the feeling that Bernard Ruddock wasn't all that he appeared to be. 

vi

We reached the lodge that evening and much to our surprise, found that Ruddock had followed us. Clearly he hadn't trusted Élise enough to wait at the mansion in Versailles.  
"What the bloody hell is he doing here?" roared Mr Weatherall upon our return, glaring at the former Assassin.  
Ruddock held up his hands and Élise intervened.  
"I'm giving him the letters from Haytham Kenway." She said simply to her mentor, striding through the room.  
"I told you not to bring that filth here. The second he leaves here he will sell us to the highest bidder. You just wait."  
"Monsieur please…" begun a nervous Ruddock, looking back at the door.  
"He won't," I told Mr Weatherall calmly, "Because if he so much whispers to anyone that we are here, I will hunt him down like Élise has done twice, but unlike her I won't be so merciful."  
Mr Weatherall seethed at Ruddock from his seat and then Jacques and Hélène entered the room, wondering what was going on. I explained as Élise went to retrieve the letters for Ruddock. Mr Weatherall continued to glare venomously at the former Assassin as he stood awkwardly in the doorway. "If it wasn't for Élise," he told Ruddock, "You would be leaving with my knife down your throat."  
"Élise saved my life twice you know," began Ruddock, hesitantly, "Once from the Carrolls and then once again from the hangman's noose. I owe her a great deal."  
"Did she just?" inquired Mr Weatherall, a dark expression coming over his face, "But what if the Carrolls weren't going to kill you all those years ago?"  
"Then I am mistaken," Ruddock replied, a shadow coming over his face, "but she still saved my life once. It makes little difference Monsieur."  
"That is of course, unless they were going to kill you"  
Ruddock laughed nervously, "But you just said yourself that they weren't"  
"But what if they were?" pressed Mr Weatherall, glancing at me and at last I understood.  
"But they weren't" replied Ruddock uncertainly, his voice slightly higher.  
"How do you know?" I asked, watching as sweat glistened at Ruddock's brow.  
"Excuse me?"  
"How do you know that the Carrolls weren't going to kill you?" growled Mr Weatherall, glancing back at me.  
"I don't" stammered Ruddock, and then it all came to me.  
"See, I think you were working for the Carrolls five years ago," began Mr Weatherall, "And that you thought that they were on their way to silence you in that tavern. I think that you either gave us false information back then or you were working on behalf of the Carrolls when they hired you to kill Julie de la Serre."  
"No… No!" replied Ruddock, "This is preposterous, I work for myself."  
"But you said that you wanted to rejoin the Assassins" I added, rounding on Ruddock, my hand reaching for my sword.  
"I want nothing to do with the Assassins or the Templars, not anymore. I despise the lot of them." He looked nervously around the room for support, but found none.  
And there it went, his last defense, and I jumped on it, "Then what do you want with Haytham Kenway's letters if you aren't going to use them to bargain your way back into the Brotherhood? What are you really doing here Ruddock?"  
The former Assassin grimaced, knowing he had said too much. He turned to the door before whirling round, his pistols clutched in his hands and leveled towards us,  
"The Carrolls from London send their regards."

We were in the middle of an odd stand off when Élise finally returned carrying the letters. Ruddock stood in the doorway, one of his pistols leveled at me, the other pointed at Jacques, who had interposed himself between Ruddock and Hélène. Mr Weatherall was glaring at Ruddock, a knife in his hands, while I faced the attacker, my cutlass half drawn.  
Ruddock motioned at me and I slowly let go of my sword, but never dropped my gaze from his. Comprehension flashed across Élise's face as she realized what had happened.  
"Not so fast Mademoiselle de la Serre" growled Ruddock as she went for her sword.  
He swiveled around so that his guns were now pointed at me and Élise, and by the look of things he knew how to use them.

"I trusted you," spat Élise furiously, her eyes blazing  
"That was your mistake" replied Ruddock with a confident smirk.  
"Think about what you are doing boy," Mr Weatherall told him, "No matter what happens next people will die, and you most certainly will be one of them. Unless you turn around now and ride back to your employers."  
Ruddock shook his head. "And live a marked man? I think not sir"  
"Better to live a wanted man than to be a dead one," called Élise, "I've had some experience"  
"You know nothing about me" shouted Ruddock, rounding on her with a sneer.  
"You're mad" was her only reply.  
Ruddock glanced at Jacques, "You, lover boy, take the letters and put them in my saddlebag, then scatter the other horses or I'll kill your little girlfriend."  
Jacques looked to Élise, who nodded, and he ran off.  
Seconds passed and Hélène glanced at the gun that was now leveled at her and whimpered. Jacques returned moments later and once again stood between Ruddock and Hélène.  
"It's done." He muttered upon his return.  
"Good," replied Ruddock, suddenly confident. He indicated Hélène, "And I'll take her until I'm out of sight so that you don't double-cross me."  
"You cannot be serious" shot Élise, with a glance at her friend.  
"Oh I'm serious… And there is one more thing."  
"And what's that?" spat Mr Weatherall, full of rage.  
"Mademoiselle de la Serre will accompany me to London," Ruddock turned to Élise, "the Carrolls are most anxious to get better acquainted with you..." he looked her up and down with a self satisfied smile, "as am I, on the crossing to England..."

"Never..." I started, ready to leap on Ruddock and shove my hidden blade down his traitorous neck, even if it meant my death.  
"Think that you could have her all to yourself, did you? Assassin."  
"You will die if you so much as try to touch me," hissed Élise angrily.  
"You don't have a say in the matter, Mademoiselle de la Serre."  
"But I do," I took a step forwards, "you aren't worthy to kiss the ground at her feet."  
"We will see," he sent me a smug grin, "Now, Élise comes with me or you all die."  
"I'm going to kill you," seethed Élise, glaring at Ruddock with contempt.  
"No, no you won't."  
"You basta…" I began with a snarl.  
"Please Mr Dorian, I want to hear it," interrupted Mr Weatherall, "I want to hear the lie when it slides down his forked tongue. The bounty isn't just for Élise is it? It's for her guardian and her lady's maid as well."  
"I'm not leaving here empty handed so that you can come after me," stammered an agitated Ruddock.  
"Take the letters and go Ruddock," I told him, "On my word I won't come after you."  
His breathing grew louder and his shoulders rose. He gestured to Élise and Mr Weatherall, "But they will"  
He looked from me to Élise and back, thinking that we were the only threats. He was wrong. I saw his plan at the same time Élise did, it was written in Ruddock's eyes. He was going to shoot Élise with the first shot, wounding her enough to keep her from the fight, shoot me with the second and then finish the others by sword. I glanced at Élise and she gave me a small smile as Ruddock raised his pistol at her. And then she threw herself to the ground as the pistol boomed.  
The shot went wide and in a panic Ruddock turned his second gun on her, giving me an opening. As he was about to shoot, I leapt towards him, not caring if the second shot took my life, I had to stop him from harming Élise… and then a knife flung by Mr Weatherall caught him in the wrist, sending the gun flying out of his grasp. I crashed into Ruddock and slammed him up against the closed door in a choke hold. Anger filled me, this man had been saved by Élise not once, but twice, and this is how he repaid her. By attacking her and speaking of rape. I tightened my grip on the former Assassin as he grabbed at my arm in an attempt to free himself. It didn't work.  
"Arno," Élise rose to her feet, "let him go, this is my fight."  
"Fine," I let him go and shoved him back towards Élise.  
I turned to see Élise draw her sword, and indicate to Ruddock to do the same. Ruddock backed towards the door but I blocked his way out and with a shake of my head sent him back towards Élise.  
"Draw your sword." She told him, with a dangerous glint in her eyes.  
Ruddock shook his head, "Mademoiselle Élise..."  
"Draw your sword or do you forsake even that honour?" She told him with contempt, "How did one such as you become an Assassin? They must have been desperate indeed."  
He glanced into her fury filled eyes as he drew his sword nervously. I almost felt sorry for him. Almost. Against Élise he was helpless, against her he was a child, even with his Assassin training. With a half hearted roar he charged forwards, swinging his sword. Élise simply stepped forwards, deflected the blow to the side and thrust her blade at Ruddock. A look of incomprehension filled his eyes as he was stopped dead in his tracks, Élise's sword between his ribs. And just like that it was over.  
"That is for my mother" said Élise as Ruddock dropped to his knees, blood pouring out of his wound.  
His sword fell from his grasp and a moan came from his lips, before he toppled sideways and crashed to the floor of the lodge. The twenty year chase Élise had been on was over at last.

31 July 1794

i

Bonnaire sent word all too soon that the revolutionaries were stirring, preparing to march on the man who had been causing them so much trouble.  
Xavier de Maximilien was a fool. Maximilien, ever the noble fool, had holed himself up in his small fortress within the heart of Paris and burnt the _tricolore_ , the symbol of the revolution, from the safety of his battlements. It was as if he simply expected the nation to return to the old days where the noble class had lorded over the impoverished people with impunity. Those days were long gone. And now, thousands of revolutionaries were out for his blood. The problem was that Maximilien's fort was surrounded by a small moat, and had cannons overlooking every approach. The revolutionaries would get slaughtered at the gates, that is, unless they had help. And they had help, in the form of four of us, all Assassins, and the council had agreed that Xavier de Maximilien had to come to an end.

From our vantage point we saw the crowd of revolutionaries facing off against a small force of Maximilien's men, preparing themselves and waiting for an order to attack. This could have been dealt with peacefully, without any innocent casualties. And then the commander of Maximilien's force did an incredibly stupid thing, he let his fear of the revolutionaries get to him and he ordered his men to open fire on the crowd. We could only watch as a cry went up from the revolutionaries and then they charged the soldiers who had opened fire upon them.

As Maximilien's force broke and ran under the onslaught from the revolutionaries, we leapt down from the rooftops and sprinted our way to the front of the revolutionary force. I heard cannons boom and suddenly buildings all about us were exploding under the cannon shot. Men all about me were ripped to shreds under the fire and then we were at the gates of the fort itself.  
But the drawbridge was still up.  
"Bring the bridge down!" I called to two of my men, "and then get to Maximilien."  
They nodded and ran at the moat, leapt over the waters and grabbed onto the wooden drawbridge beyond. I watched as they scurried up the bridge and as they passed the chains, draw their pistols and fire them at the very chains that held the bridge up.  
In moments the drawbridge crashed down and we were in. The two Assassins, as instructed, flew up the walls to infiltrate the fort, while myself and the other Assassin went in with the revolutionaries.  
I heard an order to fire from Maximilien's men and I dived to the side. Men all about me fell to the stone floor of the fort, never to rise again. And then we were amongst the enemy. I drew my sword with a flourish and grinned, a straight up melee against soldiers? This would be fun.  
A soldier charged at me with his bayonet in his hands and a snarl upon his lips. I deflected the weapon to the side and sliced my sword across his chest. As he fell I turned to the side and rammed my blade into another soldier's side, saving a fallen revolutionary. I wove in to the fight, working side by side with my Assassin companion, his large axe a blur as we took down Maximilien's soldiers.  
I deflected a sword with my own and returned with a stab of my hidden blade. Surprise contorted the man's face as he toppled to the ground in a heap. I heard a soldier coming at my back and twirled around, but my companion had already barreled him to the ground and buried his axe in the soldier's chest. I nodded my thanks and turned to see a soldier charge at my companion's exposed back. I moved to intervene, my blade coming up. And then the soldier crashed to the ground, a dart in his neck. I glanced up and saw that the other two Assassins were about to enter the fort through a high window, one of them was looking down at us, his phantom blade outstretched. I sent him a nod and my companion gave him a salute, before they were lost from sight as they entered the fort through the open window.

We had won the battle for the courtyard, but we still needed to breach the inner sanctum. If we let the revolutionaries breach the doors and charge in themselves, then without a doubt, Monsieur Maximilien would torch his power reserves and destroy everything within his fortress. That was not a gable I was willing to take.  
"Follow me," I called to my companion, sheathing my sword and sprinting to the nearest wall. We climbed up the wall quickly, and in no time we reached the top. I lead my companion across the rooftop and glanced down into the inner sanctum. It was shrouded in smoke from an Assassin's smoke bomb. Good. I could hear the cried of Maximilien's men dropping like flies and I saw one of the Assassins draw his six barreled rotating pistol and heard it sound the death toll for four of Maximilien's men. By the time we reached the opposite side of the inner sanctum the smoke had cleared. The two Assassins stood facing off against Monsieur Maximilien and two of his own men. And Maximilien held an ignited botefeux, usually used to ignite cannon fuses, ready to set off the drums of gun powder behind him. It was a standoff. Well, it would have been, if two of us hadn't been on the roof of the fort directly above Maximilien. I nodded to my companion with a grin, "Let's take them."  
My companion chuckled and together we activated out hidden blades and dropped towards our unsuspecting foes. I landed on top of my target and plunged my hidden blade into his neck as he crashed to the ground. I span as fast as I could and stood, my hidden blade at Maximilien's neck.  
His life wasn't mine to take however. I gave the man a cocky smirk and then flexed my wrist, retracting my hidden blade. He looked at me in pure shock. And then I reached out my hand and smothered the flame on the botefeux. A look of terror crossed his face as the four of us turned and strode away, before scurrying up the nearest wall. We hadn't gone far when I heard the inner sanctum doors crash open the revolutionaries spill into the fort and capture Maximilien.  
I pulled myself up onto the battlements beside my Assassin brothers with a smile, and gazed out over Paris as the sun went down, one less stupid fool on the streets, a good end to the day. 

ii

I returned to the Assassin hideout and made my report to the awaiting Council, apparently Maximilien was set to be executed within the next few days.  
"Alas, we are all but pieces in an ever changing game," said Bonnaire sadly, nodding to the other members of the council, "We have had some disturbing reports from Francaide. Reports that a band of rebels known as the Raiders have been searching the tombs of our former monarchs. It is only a matter of days before they start to dig."  
Aha, Francaide. The visions from the Temple flashed before my eyes once more. I felt my blood chill at what had almost come to pass.  
"Looters?"  
"At first we thought that, but looters would have been in and out before we could stop them. No," Bonnaire shook his head, "We believe that they are searching for an artifact, much like the one you brought us."  
"A piece of Eden?" I remembered one of the artifacts from my visions, this one in the shape of a sphere.  
"Precisely," added Beylier, "this one we believe to be an Apple of Eden."  
"The Apples of Eden are rumoured to contain the power of mind control, so we must not, we cannot let whoever is digging for the Apple find it," said Quemar with a frown. He did that a lot, frowning.  
"Then we must get to it first," I stated, "the artifacts should not be meddled with."  
"On that we agree," nodded Bonnaire, "that is why we would like you to retrieve it for us, so that we can keep it from the hands of men such as Germain."  
"Of course," I nodded, the pieces of Eden had to be contained so that no innocent lives would be cut short, as had almost happened to Élise, "we have to avert this catastrophe while we still can."  
"Our spies tell us that these so called Raiders will start digging before the week is out. As such you have three days before you must go," Bonnaire told me with a sad smile, "I am sorry that I must ask you for more when you have already lost so much. But three days is all that I can allow for you to recover from your fight with Germain."  
"Then I had best prepare," I replied, "I swear to you that I will recover the artifact."  
"I have no doubt that you will."  
I bid my farewells to the other Masters and strode from the Council chamber, a new purpose in my mind. I had to get to the Apple before the Raiders did.  
I chuckled as I strode from the hideout, wondering of how I would tell Élise of the mission to Francaide… No doubt she would want to come along, and I very much doubted that there was anything that I could say that would keep her in Saint-Cyr, I grinned, damn she was as stubborn as I was. 

18 August 1794

i

Three weeks had passed since the death of Ruddock. And in those three weeks the part of Élise that had been broken inside had started to heal and she became full of happiness and was quick to laugh once again. My heart lifts at the thought of us being together, and this time never to be separated. Just to see her smile again makes me glad that all this had happened, that even though we had both had our share of pain we finally had a chance at a proper life.  
In those three weeks we journeyed around France, taking the time to head to Francaide and root the Raiders out of the abandoned tombs of the old kings of France. As it turns out,Monsieur Philippe Rose, had been sent by Napoleon, but had deserted him in favour of a better reward for tracking down the Apple of Eden. After taking down the Raiders and eliminating Philippe Rose, I delivered the Apple back to the Assassin Council in Paris for safe keeping in the vaults.  
Grand Master Julien Bonnaire eagerly accepted the Apple and stored it in the vaults of the Order, far from the reach of the prying eyes of any who would use it for evil. It was good to be rid of the artifact, especially after witnessing its true power in the tombs. I hoped that I would never see such power again; the pieces of Eden were things from Hell it appeared.  
And a Templar, the Marquis de Pimôdan, had replied to Élise's letter and we were set to meet with him in a hotel, one, I am told, of his many establishments.

We met with the Templar in a large old house within Paris.  
I stood with confidence, knowing that the forthcoming meeting was as vital for Élise as it was for me. I glanced at Élise and she smiled at me, and then the door was opened and he entered. The Marquis de Pimôdan was a long time supporter of the de la Serre family, and one of the few who had spoken out against the murder of Élise's father, François. As Élise told me, he had also saved her life five years ago when the Templars had laid a trap for her, although hesitantly.  
Standing before us Pimôdan was dressed in a brown suit. A sword hung from his left hip and a Templar pin adorned his jacket. His hair was white as snow in winter.  
"Élise" he said with a broad smile as he approached.  
"Hello Pimôdan" she replied and embraced him.  
He took her hand and planted a kiss upon it.  
"Ah, I am glad that you managed to survive all these years alone Mademoiselle Élise"  
Élise grinned, "As am I, although I wasn't alone Pimôdan." She gestured towards me, "I want you to meet my betrothed, Arno Dorian, a Master of the Assassin Brotherhood."  
"An Assassin? Clearly times have changed…" the Marquis heaved a sigh, "and I suppose we must change with them."  
"It's a pleasure to meet you Monsieur Pimôdan" I said and extended my right hand. "I understand I owe you a great deal for saving Élise's life all those years ago"  
He clasped my hand firmly, "It is I who owes you, for ending the rein of that tyrant Germain. Your father was held in great respect by the Order, despite being an Assassin. My only regret is that I couldn't save Monsieur de la Serre from that monster Germain… Now to business, what can the Templars do for you?"  
Something seemed off in his voice. It wasn't as sincere as it should have been and he had just extended his praise to me, an Assassin, long time enemy of the Templar Order.  
"I want you to end Élise's death sentence. While it is still there she will never be safe." I replied, hiding the foreboding feeling.  
"It is all ready done. As soon as I received word that Germain had fallen, I gathered all of the de la Serre supporters and abolished the death sentence."  
Then I caught it, the thing that Pimôdan had hidden so well. His smile was forced, and his voice was a little too nervous.  
"You have my thanks," said Élise, "However there is one thing more that I wish to discuss."  
"Yes Mademoiselle?" he replied  
"The third way. A way where both the Assassins and Templars could work together. The thing that both my parents and Mirabeau fought and died for. Is there a chance of peace between the Assassins and Templars? This pointless crusade that has lasted centuries needs to end." Élise looked at her supporter with hope in her eyes.  
As she said it I realized that she must be remembering what she had been taught from her mother, Julie, and Jennifer Scott's letters from the American Templar Grand Master, Haytham Kenway.  
The Marquis smiled at the pair of us, "Why Élise, with the death of Germain all your father's supporters have rallied and deposed Germain's regime. If you wish it you can rise back to your rightful place as Grand Master of the French Templars, and lead the Order how you see fit."  
Élise nodded, "Do you know what? I believe I will accept. I spent so much time running from the duties of a Grand Master when my father died all those years ago, losing me the support of the Order. And I vow it will not happen again."  
"Very good, I shall inform the Order" replied Pimôdan, bowing, "Grand Master de la Serre."  
His tone had something new in it now. Mockery. It was a trick. I nudged Élise and gripped my sword.  
Élise glanced back at me, at last seeing through the emptiness of his words. Her mouth started to form words when Pimôdan's eyes flickered behind us.  
"And may the Father of Understanding guide you" came a voice form the back of the room.  
I glanced at Élise and watched as her hand went to her sword.

He stepped forwards, clapping. The robes of high ranking Templar, albeit an English one, adorned his body. He sported a short beard and cropped hair, both white as snow. He appeared to be around fifty years old.  
"You" spat Élise, her voice suddenly full of venom, "You coward Pimôdan."  
"My allegiance was to your father Mademoiselle de la Serre, not to you."  
Élise turned her glare to the new comer, recognizing him. "Why can't you leave me alone. It was five years ago."  
A mirthless laugh, "You remember me then do you?"  
I drew my sword and stepped beside Élise, ready to defend her.  
"Monsieur," I asked, "Might you give me the courtesy of giving me your name?"  
Another laugh, "You might ask Mademoiselle de la Serre that, after all, she did kill my daughter five years ago."  
Ah, so this was May Carroll's father.  
"Monsieur Ruddock sends his regards." I said with a smirk. The devil in me.  
"So you did run into our… Mutual friend then. I was starting to wonder why he hadn't been in contact," he gave a patronizing smile, one that was favoured by posh English types, "A loose end, no longer needing to be tied."  
The honourless bastard.  
"What are you doing here?" interrupted Élise.  
"Guiding my French brothers back on the correct course" he said, stepping beside Pimôdan.  
"And what course would that be?"  
I looked around the dark room more carefully and saw six shadows materialize above us and drop from the eaves. None of them wore the Templar emblem on their coats. They weren't from the Order, lucky us; six Templar trained men would have proved a challenge. They moved to surround us.  
"There are those within the Order that have been… swayed by your father's treacherous views on peace with the Assassins," Mr Carroll told us with a patronizing smile, "And now you wish to bring those peace talks back, at a time when weak men are leading your Order. That is something that I cannot allow Miss de la Serre." He stepped towards us, "There can be no peace."  
The six men drew their swords and moved to surround us.  
"You are wrong," I spat, preparing myself for the fight.  
"Kill us without cause and the French Order will come after you," glared Élise as she saw the men moving to attack, "It is considered treacherous to attack a peacemaker."  
"But Mademoiselle de la Serre," cut in Pimôdan with a malevolent smirk, "Even with our Order's vast resources we will unfortunately not be able to find your killers."  
"Think carefully about this Monsieur Carroll," I added, "You have no right to attack us unprovoked."  
"Ah, but you see, I acted in self defense," and with that he rammed a knife into the Marquis' back. "And because you just murdered a member of the Templar Order."  
"No…" Élise breathed as Pimôdan slumped to the floor, blood pouring out from his wound. We stood back to back now, swords raised. The six new arrivals encircled us within a ring of steel and looked to their leader for his assent. I glanced down at the fallen Templar. With the death of Pimôdan at 'our' hands, the French Order would indeed be after us.  
"You know, May was my wife's pride and joy," Mr Carroll told us, no longer smiling, "She loved her more than life itself."  
I knew what was coming next and saw Mr Carroll's fingers whiten with strain around his sword hilt.  
"After you murdered May, she lost reason to live and killed herself shortly after you escaped us in that tavern."  
"I'm sorry." replied Élise, watching her enemy carefully.  
"No. No you're not," he thundered, his expression murderous, "Don't you even dare think about lying to my face."  
"You're right, I'm not sorry," replied Élise with a deadly smirk, "Not after she tried to kill me and crippled my mentor with her little gun."  
"I'm going to enjoy watching you suffer before you die," he shot back, a combination of grief and triumph in his eyes, "I want you to remember how you killed May. She had her back turned to you, and yet, you shoved your sword in to the back of her neck like it was nothing."  
"Oh yes?" shot Élise with a smirk, "It was the six of you onto two of us, and you wanted May to duel me? She gave me an opening and I took it. In my position you would have done the same."  
"Don't you even dare try to make her the villain" roared a furious Mr Carroll.  
There was no escape now.  
"One day soon I will have your life." I told the Templar with a withering glare.  
"Enough of this," spat Mr Carroll, "I want the red headed bint alive. Kill the Assassin." 

I spun around and stood back to back with Élise, watching as three men came towards me while the others moved on Élise. Not good odds. I slowed my breathing and took up position, feet apart, center balanced. I remembered everything Bellec had taught me, "The fight begins with the mind, Pisspot" he would say, "and most battles end with the first blow". It was all about moving first and without a second thought I leapt towards the first man and shoved my sword into his chest. The man looked down at his wound in shock, not having expected an attack. I kept my momentum going, spinning as I pulled my blade free and taking the second man's feet out from under him with an out flung leg. As he dropped to the floor I flicked my wrist and my hidden blade erupted from its sheath and raised it just in time to block the third man's attack. As his blade was deflected aside I pushed back to full height and punched my sword into his throat. I rose; leveling my pistol at the man I had kicked over, and glanced at the scene around me. Two men were dead, the third groaning on the floor with my pistol pointing at his face. I looked over my shoulder and saw Élise swiftly gut her last opponent and step towards a horrified Mr Carroll.  
The 'fight' was all over before it had properly begun.  
"You will need more than six hired thugs, Monsieur." Élise told Mr Carroll with a confident smirk.  
And then his horrified expression changed. It turned into a triumphant smile as he whistled before fleeing from the room, slamming the wooden door behind him. I heard the door lock, we were trapped.  
"What now?" I grimaced, glancing at Élise who frowned. I drew back the curtains and peered out the large windows. Eight more of the Carroll's men stood on the far balcony and as I watched, raised their muskets towards us.  
"Get down!" I shouted and threw myself at Élise.  
We crashed to the ground as the air was filled with the thunderclap of firing muskets. The windows shattered all along the side of the building and glass rained down on us. Fragments of wood and glass cascaded around the room as the musket shot cracked into the floor all about us. Smoke wafted through the destroyed windows and blanketed our attackers in a grey mist. I looked at Élise and saw that like me, she was unscathed. The attacker on the ground however, wasn't so lucky and lay with a horrified expression as he bled out in front of us. I rolled to my feet and sprinted towards the door, Élise just in front. With a crack she kicked the door open and charged outside into the hallway. I heard the sounds of steel on steel as I barreled out of the room and saw Élise fiercely fighting two more attackers. She dispatched one with a cut to the throat while I took the second with a stab from my hidden blade. I looked down the stairs to the ground floor. Nothing. I shared a glance with Élise, it was clearly a trap. She shook her head, and we moved toward the far room on the second floor instead.

"I can't believe it," swore Élise as we strode into the room, "I knew Pimôdan was a coward but this goes beyond him."  
I shut the door and set the locking bar in place, before nodding my agreement, "They will have men on the street and it won't be long before they try their chances again."  
Élise looked around the plain room, waving her arms, exasperated, "I won't just sit here and wait for them to attack."  
I glanced at the small window at the back of the room, "We may not have to wait," I jogged over to the window and shot a quick glace outside, "It's clear this way."  
The sound of the hotel doors being kicked inwards came from downstairs, "We don't have much of a choice do we?"  
I grinned back at Élise, "None."  
And as the thudding of soldiers bounding up the stairs drew closer, we barreled out the window and onto the rooftops. 

ii

We flew over the tiled rooftops live wraiths, hardly slowing even when we needed to leap to the next building. Behind us the Carroll's men had breached the room and were taking shots at us in the hopes that they might score a hit. They didn't. I nearly laughed; trying to hit a moving target at fifty paces was like trying to melt snow in winter. One of them tried to follow us but missed the first jump and plunged down into the street below. The fool. Without missing a step I leapt a chasm that opened before us and hit the next roof with a roll.  
"This reminds me of that time in Versailles" Élise called from behind me with a chuckle.  
I glanced back at Élise and laughed at the memory of us trying to get over the chateau wall as children. I grinned, only Élise could make us sprinting over rooftops, being chased by gunmen seem like a game.  
"I seem to recall you wearing a dress back then"  
Élise let loose another laugh, "It is indeed much easier without one."  
With a grin I looked down at the street running parallel to us. Four of the Carroll's men were running through the street. They hadn't seen us yet, good. All too soon I heaved a sigh of relief at not being caught.  
And then the lead gunman looked up and with a surprised look gestured towards us with a shout.  
"Élise! They've seen us!"  
I swore as we shot along the tiled roof, glancing back as the men raised their muskets towards us.  
"Follow me!" called Élise, and sprinted passed me.  
She pelted towards the next gap in the rooftops and leapt into it, grabbed the edge of the opposite roof and dropped down to the street. As I leapt into the gap our pursuers fired. With a crack a red haze erupted around me and I felt something punch into the bicep my left arm. Shit. Putting aside the pain I grabbed the opposite rooftop. I bit aside a shout as my arm screamed, and followed Élise into the street below.  
I grunted as I landed and grabbed my wounded arm. More pain washed over me but I put it aside. Élise ran over to me and saw the blood,  
"Arno! Are you alright?"  
"It's just a scratch" I told her and tried to grin. It failed.  
She pushed my right hand aside and inspected my injury, "You're lucky," she said with pursed lips, "The shot went the whole way through."  
I pulled off my red scarf and she tied it around my arm to stop the bleeding.  
"We'd best get out of here" she said with a glance down the alley.  
And then the four men rounded the corner. Too late. I made to draw my sword but Élise stepped in front of me and drew her own blade.  
"I have this" she told me, before facing the oncoming threat.

The men tossed aside their empty firearms and drew their own wicked blades before advancing on Élise in single file. The first man leered towards us as he saw Élise and laughed. A woman bearing a sword? God forbid. And she was alone. Sensing an easy target he attacked Élise with a malevolent smile. His mistake. He swung his sword at her, and I watched as Élise nimbly danced aside, before slicing her own blade across his now exposed chest. Élise strode passed the dying man and killed the next in two moves, blocking his sword and then plunging her own through his ribs. Élise shouldered him to the ground and took on the third man. She fought like a demon and within seconds she stood facing her final opponent, barely panting. He stood facing Élise, mouth open in shock. Moments before he and his companions had cornered a woman and an injured man, easy targets. Now he stood alone, his sword wavering as a raging Élise stood before him looking like a demon. His mouth with still shaped like an O when Élise ran him through.  
"That was quick" I called to her as she cleaned her sword on the dead man and sheathed it.  
She nodded, "We had best get back to the lodge."  
Together we made our way onto the street in search of the nearest stables; horses were faster than carriages after all.  
And nearly ran into another group of the Carrolls hired thugs.  
The shout went up and they turned towards us, drawing a variety swords and pistols from their belts. At least three of the seven men had pistols, not good odds, so we ran.  
We sprinted down the winding streets and alleys, pushing through crowds of people, and headed towards the nearby stables. I glanced back and saw that the men were still on our tail and realized that the only reason that we hadn't been gunned down was because there were too many people in the way to get a clear shot.  
Élise drew her sword as we got caught in a particularly thick crowd and gave it a twirl above her head, "Get out of the way," she cried, prompting screams from every direction.  
"She's got a sword!"  
"Watch what you're doing ya bint!"  
And many other unsavory calls followed us as we dashed through the widening gap in the crowd.  
"Arno!" Élise gestured towards the closed doors of the stables with her sword.  
I looked behind and saw that three of our pursuers were using the gap we had created to level their guns towards us, while the other four charged at us, swords out and snarling at their prey.  
"Get to the stables!" I shouted to Élise and drew my sword with my good hand, and my pistol with my injured one.  
As I ran towards the closed wooden doors, I span back, leveling my pistol at the closest pursuer, now barely fifteen paces behind, and pulled the trigger. The man staggered backwards before clutching his gut and falling to the muddy ground in a bloody heap. I raced back towards the stables and saw Élise kick the stable doors open and knock a cursing stable hand to the ground.  
"Sorry," she cried, before turning back to face me, and drawing her pistol, "Come on! I'll cover you!"  
I ran for all I was worth, the stables ever so close now. And then one of my pursuers caught up. I heard the thud of his footsteps and whirled around, blade flashing. My sword caught his just in time. Lucky Arno. I deflected his sword and aimed a high kick to his chest. It connected and he flew back into the next man, sending them sprawling. As I sprinted to the horses, I saw Élise trying to get a clean shot over my shoulder from the back of her ebony mount. Damn it, the next man was almost upon me. The fourth attacker reached me as I reached my own mount and this one cried out as my blade found his exposed throat. I heaved myself up into the saddle, as I heard Élise's pistol boom, taking out one of the final three gunmen.  
"Go." I shouted as I pulled myself up onto the back of my horse, a brown stallion, and with a crack of the reins we were off.  
Our attackers fired off a half hearted volley at their escaping prey, but it went wide by a mile, and then we were in the clear, on course to Saint-Cyr. 

iii

We rode hard and fast, pushing our mounts as hard as we dared, but they weren't warhorses and had begun to tire quickly from the relentless pace. Monsieur Carroll would send men after us, of that I had no doubt. We would have been about halfway between Paris and Saint-Cyr when we became aware of a pursuit, aha, so we had been followed after all. We kept riding but all too soon we heard the thundering of hooves. Our pursuers had clearly brought good mounts, and not just the everyday ones we had taken from the stables in Paris, no, they rode proper warhorses. They gained on us fast, the dust cloud that rose above them came closer and closer and finally we decided they had followed us far enough. I glanced ahead and saw a forest open up before us, good, here was something we could use.  
"This way," I called to back Élise and spurred my mount towards the tree line.  
We rode a ways into the forest and at last I pulled up the reins and brought my mount to a halt. I glanced back they way we had come and saw our pursuers break into groups, clearly they were planning to ambush us in the forest. I looked down at my horse as he shook beneath me. I ran a hand down his powerful neck. The message was clear, he was exhausted. I looked to Élise as she pulled up beside me,  
"We have to take them before our horses are too far gone to be of use."  
Élise nodded before replying, "ride on ahead, I'll hit them from behind."  
And that was that, it was as good a plan as any and with a smile to Élise, I nudged my tired mount back into a canter and rode further into the foliage.  
I hadn't gone far when I heard the pursuit again; the pounding of hooves, the cracking of branches and a shout as the men following caught sight my tracks and galloped towards my position. I drew my sword and turned to face them, and there I waited, sitting upright in the saddle of my stationary mount, gazing down the track.  
"One last effort, hey?" I whispered to my horse, petting his neck.  
I heard a cry and the sound of hooves grew louder, it was almost time.  
And then they rounded the corner and I spurred my horse into action, kicking its flanks and charging towards my snarling foes with a cry.

The first rider came at me with a savage sneer, and swung his outstretched sword towards me. I leaned low over my saddle, ducking as the swing whistled over my head, and at the same time sliced my own sword across my attacker's stomach. I didn't spare him a second glance as he toppled from his saddle and crashed to the ground in a bloody heap, and then the second rider was upon me. I pulled back on the reins, causing my mount to rear as I raised my sword. As my mount went back to all fours I deflected a blow that would have stabbed through my ribs and returned with an attack of my own. My attacker blocked, once, twice and then my third blow smashed through his defense and opened his throat. Blood erupted from his wound and splashed over my face, and then I spurred my horse into a gallop, shooting back through the trees.

I lead our pursuers on a dance through the forest, winding my way through the trees, down steep tracks and even through a small river. I urged my mount up the far bank and spurred him back into a gallop through the trees. Even with my evading, my attackers were gaining. I ducked a low branch and then my cheek flared in pain as another overhanging branch lashed across my face. I felt a tendril of blood slide down my cheek from the wound. I ignored it and glanced about for my pursuers… They had to be close behind now. And then one of them erupted from the foliage in front of me. Damn it, they must have sent someone to cut me off. Steel rang as I engaged him, every moment that we fought brought the rest of my pursuers closer... I had to end this.  
And then he was just too slow to raise his sword in time to block a lightning fast slash I sent his way. My blow flashed across his exposed chest and he fell from his horse with a shout as he went to meet his maker. I turned back down the track in time to see two more opponents come at me, one from either side. Shit.  
I traded blows with them, using both my sword and hidden blade, but I had been trained to fight on foot, while these were obviously well trained cavalrymen. I was falling back, defending desperately, and there were at least three men left behind my two attackers... My arm started to ache from the bullet shot I had received in Paris, and I felt fresh blood start to pour as the wound reopened. Damn it, where was Élise?

And then she erupted from the trees and charged onto the track, her sword swinging and pistol crackling as it fired. One of the men I was engaging took the pistol shot to his chest and was thrown to the ground with a gaping hole in his jacket. Élise charged her horse into another opponent and rained down blows upon the poor man, he didn't last two seconds. I used the distraction to quickly bring down my last attacker with a lunge that speared him in the heart. And then it was us, me and Élise, against two final opponents.  
I shared a grin with Élise and then together we charged towards our pursuers. The fight was all over in moments, the two men were clearly still recovering from the shock of having their companions sent to their graves, when just minutes before they had had me on the ropes and about to be overwhelmed.  
I turned to Élise as the last of our attackers toppled from his mount and gave her a smile,  
"Well that was..." I searched for a word, and then remembered the fight in Germain's workshop years ago. The same word I had used then sprang to mind and I grinned, "Bracing."  
Élise sheathed her cutlass and laughed, "That it was..."  
"There may well be more of them," I said seriously, gesturing towards on of our fallen foes.  
"Well then, we had best wait for a while and find out. It will give us some time to rest the horses, they are damn close to dropping."  
I nodded and we dismounted, leading our mounts to a small clearing in the forest and tied the reins around a fallen tree. I plonked myself down on the log and closed my eyes with a sigh; a rest would do us all good. Élise joined me and after a few moments nudged my side,  
"I'm sorry Arno, this whole mess is my fault."  
"No," I replied, "no its not. The blame lays with Monsieur Carroll and that traitor, Pimôdan."  
"I honestly thought that Mr Carroll had given up on his revenge years ago. I have spent the last five years watching for a knife in the shadows, and until Ruddock turned on us, the last attack had been over four years ago."  
"Nothing to be done about it now," I told her, a smile spreading across my lips, "and now they will have to go through us both, something that I doubt even a high ranking Templar with his Majesty's ear will be able to accomplish."  
Élise laughed and gripped my hand, "You know, I am really glad that you are here, Arno."  
"I know," I grinned back and pulled Élise to her feet, "We had best be getting back now, any further pursuit would have caught up by now."  
Élise nodded back to me, and mounted her horse once more, "whatever the case, the Templars will pay for this." 

iv

"That gutless coward" spat a raging Mr Weatherall from his chair with a darkening glint in his eyes.  
The five of us had gathered once again in the main room, and Élise and myself had just told them about Pimôdan's betrayal.  
"I had hoped that with the death of Germain, Pimôdan would remember his old loyalties," started Élise sadly, "I was wrong."  
I looked to Élise and saw anger flare in her eyes. She had always been as quick to anger as she was to laugh, and I saw what was coming next.  
"I hate them all," she hissed venomously, "Pimôdan, Ruddock, the Carrolls, hell, I hate the Templars for everything they have done... They took my family from me, tried to take away everything I loved and now this?"  
"Listen to yourself Élise," called Mr Weatherall sternly, "the Templars aren't to blame for this. Yes, they have shades of grey, I'll admit as much, but this was the work of that bastard Carroll and you know it."  
Élise was shaking now, the weight of it all catching up on her. I placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and opened my mouth to speak, but she continued.  
"I was raised to become Grand Master, my parents believed that I could bring a change to the outdated traditions within the Order, by leading them in a way of my own choosing," she gestured around the room exasperated, "It all worked out rather grand didn't it."  
"You would have made your parents proud if they were still here girl," said Mr Weatherall quietly, "you brought down the rogue elements within the Order, and yes, while that bastard Pimôdan went traitor, that doesn't mean that the whole bloody Order did."  
"I'm having a hard time believing that right now."  
"Believe me, Élise, the Order won't know about it."  
"He's right," I added, looking into Élise's eyes, "the Templars aren't to blame for this."  
Élise took a deep breath and nodded, "So what can we do?"  
"First things first, Élise," replied Mr Weatherall, "were you followed?"  
"That we were Monsieur," I began, "however we set a trap and caught our pursuers before they could tail us here."  
"Are you sure that you got all of them?" he was leaning forwards on his chair now, hands tight around the arm rests.  
"Yes," I thought for a few moments, "Yes, I'm sure that we took down every last one of them."  
Mr Weatherall nodded thoughtfully, "Be that as it may, we cannot take any risks by staying here. It's only a matter of time before they track us."  
"We need to end this before our relations with the French Order are all but destroyed," said Élise with a frown, "And to do that we need to get a passage to London, where no doubt Mr Carroll will be on course for as we speak."  
"Blimey girl, and who would we have to support us in England?" said Mr Weatherall incredulously, "The Templars over there want us dead. Who would we turn to for help? The Assassins?"  
"If I must turn to them again, then yes, I will go to the Assassins."  
"No, that wouldn't work," I told them sadly, "Even with the support of the French Brotherhood, my English brothers would refuse to aid us. Their relations with the Templars have been all but destroyed, something to do with an American turncoat called Shay Cormac a decade back. No, they would not help us because you are a Templar"  
"Then what can we do? We have no support from anywhere Élise, and all my contacts have dried up," added Mr Weatherall shaking his head slowly, "We are in no position to take on the English Order singlehandedly."  
"But we won't be alone. I know someone who can help." Élise said with half a smile, "Someone who lives in London. Someone with contacts in both the Assassin and Templar orders"  
"Aye, and who might that me Mademoiselle?"  
"You may remember a Miss Jennifer Scott, daughter of the renowned pirate turned Assassin, Edward Kenway, sister to former Templar Grand Master Haytham Kenway, and if what I hear is true, aunt to the newly minted American Assassin Grand Master."  
"But can we expect much help from her Élise? She made it well clear that she wanted nothing to do with the Assassins and Templars anymore." Mr Weatherall frowned.  
"I have been keeping in correspondence with her for the last five years, and I believe she will help us."  
"But do you trust her?"  
"I do Monsieur, with my life."  
Mr Weatherall heaved a great sigh, as if debating the idea, "What is your opinion on the matter, Arno"  
I nodded thoughtfully, "I'm with Élise on this, after all, we have no one else and what do we have to lose?"  
"You're right lad, but we could all be putting our necks on the line for this."  
"You said yourself that we can't stay here."  
"I don't like it and I won't be able to give you much help," Mr Weatherall said sadly, indicating his missing leg, "Not with this."  
"The French Assassins would take you all in if I asked, while I am gone with Élise" I told him, "That is, if you don't mind taking refuge with your former enemies. And you would be safe with them."  
"I have fought the Assassins my whole life, Arno, it wouldn't be right."  
"What other option do we have?" added Élise, a desperate look on her face.  
"None of you would come to harm, I can promise you that Monsieur" I said, almost pleading.  
Mr Weatherall laughed, "Who would have thought of the bloody day that Freddie Weatherall sought refuge with the Assassins… I don't have much of a choice do I? And I can't stop you two from going to London."  
"No chance of that Monsieur" I replied with a grin.  
"Alright," he nodded, "I'll make peace with your Assassins, Arno. But I won't for one minute trust them." "That will have to do." I nodded slowly.  
"We had best get moving," said Élise, "It's a long way from Saint-Cyr to Calais and then further still to Dover and London."  
"All be well, we should be in London within two days."  
Élise smiled at me, "That's about it."  
"We had better write to our friends, the Templars," said Mr Weatherall thoughtfully, "letting them know that it was that bastard Carroll who killed Pimôdan. I can get a message to them before the day is out."  
"Aye, but would they believe us? Forgive me, but none of us are on the best terms with the French Order" I replied.  
"I have wood beneath my arms but not in my head boy," he smiled, "I'll use a code name like Lafrenière did all those years ago."  
"It is a good plan," said Élise with a nod.  
"And one more thing," Mr Weatherall glanced at the pair of us before growling, "Make sure you get the bastards who took my damned leg."  
"We will Monsieur" I assured him with a nod, before turning to the door, "I'll go and see to our transportation."  
And a few short hours later we had left the school behind, Jacques, Hélène and Mr Weatherall on route to Paris with a letter from me to Grand Master Bonnaire, while I sat with Élise in another carriage bound for the port town of Calais. 

v

We arrived in Calais just as the sun was setting, giving the small city an eerie look. Lamplighters rushed about and slowly lit Calais in a dim light, adding to its dank look. There were a few birds flying around the docks, squabbling for scraps. I stepped out of our carriage and gave a wary look around, checking the shadows for the cut throats and rapists that plagued Calais. Élise dropped down beside me and plonked her tricorn on her head. The coachman handed me our trunks, packed with clothes and some of our more important trinkets. I buckled my sword back around my waist and took the time to delve into my purse and retrieve the coins for the coachman, who took them with a greedy glint in his eye and swiftly pocketed them, before bidding us farewell and heading back down the road towards Paris.  
I looked down the nearest street. A brawl erupted in front of a tavern that stood a small ways from us, "Charming place" I muttered, glancing towards the men fighting in a drunken haze.  
Élise nodded, "Unfortunately we need to barter a passage to Dover from here…" she stopped as one of the brawlers was given a swift kick to the behind and sent on his way down the street, "And I know just the place to find a ship."

Now, Élise had told me often about her journey from Calais to Dover, but hadn't told me yet that she, along with Hélène, had nearly, very nearly, been captured by rapists in Calais five years ago. Lucky for the survivor that she hadn't told me yet.  
We slowly made our way done the street and Élise lead me to the nearest tavern. The sign above the door had no name, but bore a set of antlers instead. Let's call it the Antlers. Élise lead me towards the door with a smile and then we entered. The Antlers was well lit with candles and smelt of dried sweat and alcohol. The patrons however, didn't seem to mid the smell and happily kept drinking and talking amongst themselves. A few heads turned towards us as we entered, and to my annoyance many of their gazes lingered on Élise. She didn't seemed phased however as she looked around the room, peering into every corner until she found what she was looking for. At the far end of the room sat three men talking in hushed tones, they hadn't noticed us yet.  
"Wait here," said Élise innocently, with a look that said trouble was brewing, "I have something to settle with one of those men."  
"Alright, I'll just wait here then shall I?" I chuckled as she gave me a wink, before pulling up a chair at an empty table and watched as Élise walked purposefully towards the three men.  
If I had known exactly who the man in the middle was at this stage, I would have been leaping over tables to get to him and shove my sword in his fat gut.  
But I just watched with a bemused smile as Élise strode confidently up to the seated men and pulled off her tricorn. The men looked up at her with smug grins, looking her up and down suggestively, before the middle one started, "And what's a fine thing like you doing in a place like…" his grin changed into something like shock, "YOU!"  
"Hello again," said Élise with a cocky grin, "I see you remember me Monsieur. Now, if you wouldn't mind stepping outside for a moment there is something that we need to discuss about what you tried five years ago."  
He roared with laughter, and I suddenly felt sorry for the fool.  
"And why would I do that, when we can enjoy your lovely company in here where it's warm." He looked her up and down suggestively again, and then noticed her cutlass, "Ah, I see you have a real sword this time. Luckily for you, we can take it off your hands."  
"I think not Monsieur," she said sweetly, indicating the tavern door, "I'll ask again, would you mind stepping outside for a moment."  
"You know what? I've had quite enough of your kind lording us over. And as I hear, your days ruling us are done."  
So he had noticed her well made clothes after all, they could have only belonged to a nobleman, or noblewoman as it were.  
The middle man looked around Élise and saw no one. He laughed mirthlessly again, "You seem to have come without a guardian this time."  
He stood and his two friends followed his lead, stepping round the table towards Élise. I watched, ready to leap up at a moment's notice. He glanced at Élise as she warningly placed a hand on the hilt of her sword.  
"Oh, looky here! The Mademoiselle thinks she can handle a sword. What do you plan on doing with that then?" the man chuckled with a sarcastic grin.  
"I was planning to cut some bread, Monsieur," she replied sarcastically, before turning her gaze upon the man, "but now as it turns out, I'm not too sure about what to cut anymore."  
"Is that a threat?" Middle Man bellowed with mirthless laughter, "Now, about our 'business' five years ago… It got interrupted, but it won't this time my lovely."  
The three men laughed while Élise watched with a passive expression that shouted that she was about to act. One of the men reached towards her, a leer on his face.  
Élise slapped his groping hand away, "Don't. Don't even try to touch me."  
The man laughed and looked about the room, "Oh, and who's going to stop me?"  
"Look. You're drunk Monsieur, so I'll forgive you for your rudeness this once. Now be so kind enough to leave this establishment," she warned him and I knew that tone well, he would not be warned again.  
He reached out again with a smirk and Élise dropped her left hand to her sword. As his eyes followed the movement she stepped forwards and smashed her right elbow into his nose. It broke with a crack and with a grunt he toppled backwards and lay on the tavern floor, groaning with blood pouring down his chin. The bubble of voices stopped and heads turned towards Élise and the two men she still faced.  
"Well well, you're a lively one then ain't you?" said Middle Man again with a smirk. He drew a knife, "Now, I'll be having that sword of yours."  
Élise shook her head before turning to his accomplice, "I have no quarrel with you Monsieur, only with your… friend here."  
He glanced at Élise and chuckled, "Who do you think you are, ya bint? You don't give orders around here no more."  
"My name is Élise de la Serre of Versailles," she spoke loudly, glancing around the room, before pointing at Middle Man, "And that man tried to rape me five years ago."

My heart lurched and my blood ran cold. Anger boiled within me and I rose to my feet, my hand going to my sword. I was going to kill that bastard if it was the last thing I ever did. I started to draw my sword and stepped towards the confrontation.  
"Stay back Arno," called Élise, sensing my movement, "This is my fight."  
I glared at Middle Man and reluctantly did as she asked, not trusting myself to speak.  
Middle Man glanced over at me, "Got you by the balls has she?"  
I glared back at the man, no, not man, scum. It took all my strength to restrain myself from killing the bastard where he stood, from plunging my blade so far down his throat that he would have a second spine. Even still, my hand stayed on my sword hilt, fingers clamped firmly around it.  
"This is your final chance Monsieur, I will ask you again to please step outside," Élise said forcefully.  
Middle Man drew a knife from his belt before giving Élise a wicked smile, "I'm going to enjoy this and then I'm going to enjoy the pleasure of your company a while."  
"I rather think not." And with that Élise stepped towards Middle Man's friend. She faked a left jab and as he moved to counter it, sent a blindingly fast right hook to his chin. He flew back into the wall and crashed to the ground in a groaning heap. Two down.  
Middle Man glanced at Élise with fright for the first time, his smile wavered as she drew her sword with a flourish, and unlike five years ago she had been practicing every day. This time she knew how to use it properly. And Middle Man had noticed, fear was creeping into his eyes.  
"I ain't done nothing wrong" he stammered, "This red haired bint just attacked me…" he looked around for support but no one moved to help. Unlucky him.  
Élise glared at Middle Man, an amused smile upon her lips, "Well we red haired bints do have a habit for paying their debts. You didn't just call me a red haired bint did you? I hear that they don't like that very much Monsieur." Élise looked around and noticed that no one in the Antlers had moved to help Middle Man. She grinned, "No friends left I see. Now the world knows you for what you truly are without your little body guards" she looked him up and down, her face full of scorn and smirked, "a coward."  
"I'm no coward," he said with a fake smile and tried to laugh. He failed miserably.  
"I want you to remember everything you have done Monsieur. Every sin you have committed for your own greed without a care for anyone around you. Every woman you have touched and every life you have ruined. Know that I would gladly take your life just for that, but the fact remains, you tried to rape me and a dear friend of mine." Élise pointed her sword at him and the last of his confidence fled.  
Middle Man glanced around Élise and made a move to get passed her and into the clear, but it was his last mistake. As he ran to pass her, Élise swung her blade, cleaving him from hip to shoulder and sending him crashing to the ground in a bloody heap. Élise sheathed her sword with a sly grin, "Well… That settles that."  
Élise walked up to the counter and tossed the barman a coin purse, "Sorry about the mess Monsieur."  
He simply nodded back to her, a frightened look on his face. She glanced over at me as I joined her, before speaking to the man again, "Now would you be so kind as to give me the directions to a Captain Byron Jackson? I require a passage to Dover."

vi

Less than an hour later we were under way, on course for Dover. We stood aboard Byron Jackson's ship, the _Granny Smith_ , a small, fast ship known as a schooner, which as it turns out, he used for smuggling. Perfect for a pair of fugitives in need to get to the main port of England. The ship was lit with torches tied to the railings around the vessel, giving it a bright look and making it easy to navigate. Byron Jackson himself was a remarkable man. He was an Englishman masquerading as a Frenchman and was somewhere in between a rogue and a gentleman with a knack for getting things done. Just the kind of man we needed. He strode about his vessel at easy in his black breeches and white shirt. His long brown coat was neatly folded on a pile of crates nearby to where I sat with Élise on deck. Élise had told me that he was the man who had saved herself and Hélène from the rapists all those years ago, a fact that gained him my complete trust.  
"We should be coming up on Dover within an hour, if the weather keeps clear," the smuggler called to us with a smile, "Monsieur Arno, up for a little sparring?"  
I grinned back at him, stepping to my feet, "Alright Captain, let's see what you're made of."  
Élise grinned and rose to her feet, and leaned against a stack of crates, "Oh, this should be good"  
My sword sang as I drew it and turned to face Byron Jackson as he twirled his blade expertly. I span my own sword around a few times before moving into my fighting crouch. Feet apart, center lowered, blade up. We moved at the same time and I sent a flurry of blows his way, each blow being blocked. Not long after that I soon discovered that Byron Jackson was indeed an expert swordsman, and it took all my concentration to keep him at bay. Our blades clashed together again and again, neither of us gaining an advantage. We were evenly matched in skill and endurance, tiring at the same time. We finally panted, breathless and laughing at our stalemate. I grinned and lunged towards him, and once again we were locked in an even duel. I unleashed a combination of moves but he had an answer for all of them. We wove around the deck of the vessel, our steel blades ringing when they came together in a clash. I watched his eyes carefully, trying to see what he would do next, but his expression revealed nothing. And then I saw it, his middle didn't move when he lunged, he was going to turn the attack into a diagonal slash. I leaned back as the move came and deflected his sword to the deck where it stuck and I pointed my blade to his chest. And just like that I had won.  
He laughed and gave an exasperated wave, "By God, how did you see that coming?"  
"You tensed your middle when you lunged, showing me that you were not going to follow through with the attack, but rather, change it into a cut."  
He nodded his thanks; I had probably saved his life in a future battle. "I'll be sure to fix that problem... But bloody hell you can fight Arno, I've never seen someone that good with a blade before, except maybe Élise."  
"I had a good teacher Monsieur," I told him, "Your own mentor must have been equally as good though, I know only a few people who could put up that kind of a fight."  
"My mentor was an old drunk bastard," Byron replied with a chuckle, "But a good man."  
Élise walked over to us, "Well, it would appear that some of his other 'interests' have rubbed off on you," she said with a grin, indicating the pile of empty wine skins laying about the deck of the schooner.  
Byron threw his hands up in mock outrage, "This is what I get for offering the Mademoiselle passage to Dover?" he responded sarcastically, "What have I done to deserve this cruel fate?"  
"Offer me a passage, Monsieur" equally sarcastic.  
We all laughed and Byron took a swig from his wine skin, "So, are you on another one of your secret 'assignations' in London again, Mademoiselle?"  
"I wasn't on a 'secret assignation' Byron," said Élise with an exasperated grin, "But we do have business with the Carroll family in London, you may have heard of them."  
Byron whistled, "Of course I've heard of that family, right lot of arrogant pricks if you ask me. This business you have with them, is it good or bad?"  
"Let's just say that we owe them a debt that must be repaid." I told him with a slight smile.  
"You'd best be careful then" he said, serious now. "They have powerful friends"  
"Yes, we know that they have a lot of influence with some high ranking nobles, as it were" Élise told him confidently, "However, we do not fear them."  
"Aye, but have you heard of their new protégé?"  
"Protégé?" I asked, with a glance at Élise.  
"Ah, I thought not," Byron chortled, "His name is James Gabrielle, but around these parts he is simply known as the Black Hand."  
"Flamboyant" Élise smirked with a chuckle.  
Byron shot her a small grin, "He is a bounty hunter of high status, who inspires fierce loyalty from those under his command. If the rumors are true than he used to be a Captain in the Royal Navy, and a fine one at that. But it's not his keen mind that he has become renowned for, it's his swordsmanship. And…" he stopped and gave us a baleful look.  
"Tell us what you know" I implored, leaning forwards.  
"And his brutality. There were reports that he massacred hundreds of innocent people in Havana, just to acquire some kind of treasure. I've heard that Monsieur Gabrielle has defeated almost every sword master in Europe, and the rest were too scared to face him. So I urge the pair of you to be careful."  
Élise nodded before pulling her Templar locket out of her shirt, "I don't suppose that this Black Hand of yours carries a pendant like this?"  
Byron frowned, "Aye I've heard that he does… How did you get that?"  
Élise glanced at me before shoving the locket back down her shirt again.  
Aha. So Mr Gabrielle was a Templar after all, and was in the service of the Carrolls. That complicates matters.  
"From a friend. But rest assured, this James Gabrielle is no friend of mine, nor will he ever be."  
Byron nodded, "I'll be in Dover for a few days, so if you need anything, an extra sword or a ship perhaps, then you know where to find me."  
"You have my thanks," I told him sincerely, "I'll be sure to remember that."  
And with that Byron Jackson took another gulp of wine, gave us his signature grin and strolled back to take the wheel of the schooner, whistling through his pursed lips.  
I turned to Élise, "Of course Gabrielle is a Templar under the employ of the Carrolls… Why is it never simple?"  
She nodded back to me with pursed lips, "Yes, this does complicate matters a bit, doesn't it? However, one more Templar is nothing compared to what we have dealt with in the last five years, and I'm sure his skill with the sword is somewhat exaggerated."  
"I just hope that you're right" I said, my gut telling me that James Gabrielle was a man not to be trifled with.  
"I always am," Élise gave me a wild smile before leaning in and giving me a short kiss, "But I'm not interested in discussing a Templar at the moment."  
I grinned back at her and leaned over the side railing of the ship, watching as the moon shone down on ocean.  
"It's beautiful isn't it?" I said, tenderly linking my hand with Élise's.  
She leaned beside me and stared out across the waves as they rolled by us. The moon gave the ocean a silver shine to its rippling surface, creating a brilliant sight.  
"I have a mind to stay here and forget everything that's happened, Germain, the Carrolls, everything..." I said after a few moments. I meant it all, being here with Élise, surrounded by the stars made me content.  
"When this is all over we will finally have a chance to live how we were meant to five years ago." She replied with a smile and looked into my eyes. "We have waited far too long as it is."  
I wrapped an arm around her waist and gave her a squeeze, "I know…"  
I leaned towards Élise and gave her a passionate kiss. She wrapped an arm around my neck and returned the kiss. I felt her smile and then she pulled away with a mischievous grin and took me by the hand, leading me below deck and back to our cabin.

Nearly an hour later, I walked back up onto the deck and made my way to the wheel where the Captain stood, one hand steering us, the other, as always, holding his ever present wine skin. He smiled at me cheerfully before gesturing towards the city that sprawled before us, "Welcome to Dover."  
The city shone in the distance, lit by hundreds of tiny lights, like a swarm of brilliant fireflies.  
I grinned and buckled on my sword, "I am grateful for your help getting us here." I told him and held out my hand.  
He clasped it and we shook in the traditional English fashion, "it's been an honour to finally meet you Arno." He nodded to where Élise was coming up from below decks, "Even all those years ago Élise spoke of you in high regard." He chuckled, before continuing, "She even told me that she was betrothed to you when I met her five years ago so that nothing would happen between us when we last sailed together. You're a lucky man to have her."  
Of course. Byron Jackson was a rogue, and well, Élise was beautiful, very beautiful, so it goes without saying that he would have wanted something to happen in years gone by.  
I looked towards Élise as she strode towards us with a grin; I was indeed a lucky man. "That I am Monsieur… That I am."  
"Planning something?" she said with a mischievous glint in her eye when she reached us.  
"Of course we are," I scoffed.  
Élise playfully glared back at me, before turning to the Captain, "It was wonderful to see you again Byron and I can't thank you enough for sailing us over the channel."  
"Anything for the Mademoiselle," he gave her a mock bow, "Ah, we're here. I'll let you off by the cliffs over there, you will be able to enter the city undetected that way," Byron pointed towards a set of cliffs along the coast, with a long stretch of beach set before them, "And then I must use my magic to get my beauty passed the harbor master," he gave us a wink and slowly steered the ship towards our heading. 

20 August 1794

i

It took us the better part of what was left of the night to reach London. The city was immense, nearly the size of Paris itself and equally as beautiful. We arrived as the lamplighters were going about the city with their hooked poles, putting out the shining lamps. Dawn was on the horizon when our carriage finally trundled into Queen square and delivered us to our destination. We wearily stepped outside the coach, tired from a sleepless night, and down in to Queen Square, where Jennifer Scott currently resided. The mansion that stood before us was almost completely white in the English way, and to either side stood yet more of the lustrous white houses. I glanced around and saw candle light flickering from the second floor window on the mansion before us. Ah, so either Madame Scott had a guest, or we were expected. As it turns out both were true.  
I knocked and soon after I heard footsteps and then the sound of bolts being drawn and the wide doors opened. A butler stood before us, his face expressionless as he glanced from me to Élise.  
"What can I do for you?" he said simply. Still no expression, how curious.  
Élise strode up the short staircase, and gave me a bemused smile, she must have recognized the butler for her last visit. "Élise de la Serre and Arno Dorian to see Miss Jennifer Scott, please."  
The butler nodded to her, "Ah yes, Miss Scott is expecting you, however she is with a guest right now."  
I looked at Élise and she gave me a questioning look, who was this guest?  
He ushered us in to the well lit corridor and through to what appeared to be a guest room. Chairs and tables stood around the large room and a warm fire was cracking in the center of the far wall. Light was just starting to seep through the large windows and the sunlight, combined with the dim fire light gave an almost unearthly look to the room. The house almost seemed like time was standing still, as if it was almost sad. Something horrible had happened in this place, I was sure of it now. I had heard the Miss Scott's father, Edward Kenway, had been murdered within these walls many years ago. From what Élise had told me, Miss Scott was around eighty now and mostly had an aversion to people, after what had she had gone though during her childhood it made sense. This made her having a guest even more unusual.  
"Wait here, please," said the butler with a thin smile and he walked towards a closed door located at the back of the room.  
The butler knocked on the closed door and went inside, closing the door behind him. I glanced around the room again, taking in everything, from the golden chandelier to the wooden dressing table. I looked to Élise who gave me a smile and I chuckled, it certainly was an interesting place here.  
The butler reappeared moments later, "Miss Scott will see you now."  
He lead us into the next room where an old woman, Miss Scott I presumed was sitting in a large arm chair, facing a younger companion, who would have been around forty. He wore cream coloured _Assassin_ robes and had what was clearly a hidden blade strapped to each wrist. What was an Assassin doing here?  
I exchanged a glance with Élise as she noticed his garb at the same time. An Assassin in the house of Jennifer Scott, a woman who had told Élise that she wanted no part in the war that had claimed both her father and brother, what was going on?  
I looked at the man seated before us, his skin was a shade of darker brown and most curiously of all his black, grey streaked hair was shaved into what appeared to be a Mohawk that hung down to his shoulders. His face was a kind one, yet dignified, and his eyes spoke of countless horrors that he had witnessed. Here was a true warrior.  
Jennifer looked up as we entered, "Ah, It's wonderful to see you again my dear Élise," She turned her gaze towards me now, "And you must be the famous Arno Dorian."  
Élise smiled back at Jennifer, "Hello again Miss Scott, it's been far too long."  
"Madame" I said with a bow as she glanced towards me. "Élise speaks very highly of you."  
Jennifer chuckled, as if amused by the idea, and the man she was with stood up and looked towards us, taking in my Assassin robes and the Templar pin Élise still wore on her collar. "My Aunt has told me a lot about you, and it is a pleasure to meet you both." He firmly shook my hand and dipped his head to Élise.  
Aha, he had a clearly recognizable American accent. That got me thinking. Haytham Kenway had lived in the American colonies, and this man was clearly special to Miss Scott somehow. Had Haytham Kenway had a son with a native woman? I soon got my answer.  
The man stepped back from us with a heartwarming smile, "My name is Connor Kenway."

Élise stared at the man, Connor Kenway, with an amused look. Ah, she had guessed it too.  
"I cannot thank you enough, Monsieur," she began, "Because of what you and your father accomplished; the French Assassins and Templar Order have worked together, and soon I hope, will have a lasting peace."  
"You honour me, Élise," Connor said humbly, with a nod, "It was a dream in my youth that I could somehow unite the two creeds with my father, a dream that had all but faded until what Miss Scott told me. I can only hope that within time that the two orders will be able to unite for the benefit of all."  
"Without you Connor," I began with a smile, "Everything I have accomplished with Élise these last five years would not have been possible, and for that I thank you."  
We clasped arms again before he spoke. "Now, Miss Scott here has informed me of your names, but not about who you really are. I can tell that you both belong to separate orders in France, and as you know, I lead the American Brotherhood." He told us with a thoughtful expression, "I would very much like to hear about how an Assassin and a Templar came to work together, much like I did with my own father."  
I looked at Élise and we shared a quite smile, "It may take some time."  
"Oh sit down" called Jennifer with a bemused look, beckoning towards the empty arm chairs by the fire.  
When we were all seated around the crackling blaze I began our tale, "When I was eight my father, Charles Dorian, an Assassin, was killed by a traitor to the Brotherhood, an Assassin turned Templar. I was adopted into the de la Serre family and lived with Élise and her father in Versailles for a time. For thirteen years I lived with them and grew to see François, Élise's father, as my own," I looked over at Élise with a quite smile, and squeezed her hand, "And I grew to love Élise in another way."  
"During this time I was being trained for my destiny, to become the Grand Master of the Templar Order after my father," said Élise, "And then the world changed when my father was murdered by traitors within the Order and Arno was given the blame for the crime, and sent to the Bastille."  
"That was where I met Pierre Bellec, a high ranking French Assassin who trained me in his arts and showed me how to use my gifts. When the Bastille fell I escaped with Bellec. I was later inducted into the Brotherhood and I set out to find François de la Serre's murderer. When I saw Élise next I came to realize that I had been partly to blame for the death of her father and redoubled my efforts to find his murderer."  
"With the death of my father the Order turned its back and marked me for death," Élise told the Assassin, "And so I joined forces with Arno to bring my father's murderers to justice. He was fighting for redemption and me for revenge."  
Connor was listening intently, I could see questions in his eyes but he stayed silent, taking it all in.  
"For the next five years we worked together until we had brought down both François de la Serre's murderers and the man who had orchestrated it. We had shown that an Assassin and a templar could work together, continuing your great work Connor, and hopefully saving thousands of lives in the future."  
The Grand Master looked at us thoughtfully, "Then why come to London?"  
A shadow passed over Élise's face, "A family within the English Templar Order wish to keep the two groups apart and have silenced my last allies within the French Order through intimidation, I had hoped to come here and stop them, to bring peace to France. If we take out Mr Carroll then I am certain that I can bring my father's supporters over to our cause and depose the last of Germain's followers."  
Connor nodded, "A worthy goal Miss de la Serre. I may just have a proposal for you."  
Élise looked at the Grand Master, hope flaring in her eyes, "Yes?"  
"My ship leaves for America in a week, so until then I will help you to stop the Carrolls and bring peace to the French orders."  
"You would do that?" Élise glanced at me, "Risk your life for people you barely know, one of them a Templar?"  
"I will fight beside you," said Connor with a ghost of a smile, "You have shown me that everything that I have sacrificed for had been for something. You have reminded me of my former self, and this damned war that had claimed thousands of lives must end. The Templars and Assassins must see sense and learn to fight for a common cause."  
I rose and nodded to Connor with a grin, "I cannot thank you enough Monsieur, you are helping us more than you know."  
Élise stood beside me and I could see that exhaustion written all over her face and knew it must be mirrored on my own.  
"I'm sorry Monsieur Kenway and Miss Scott, but we must get some rest, we haven't had much sleep in the last few days."  
"Of course" said Connor with a nod, clearly understanding the feeling.  
"Smith will show you to your room" added Jennifer with a smile, gesturing to her butler who stood in the open doorway.  
Élise looked from me to the American Assassin, with her devilish expression, "But tomorrow this ends."

ii

I rose early, intending to meet with Connor and discuss the dreams that had been plaguing me since I had taken down Germain with Élise. No matter how hard I tried, I simply could not get the visions of Élise's death in the temple from my mind. The Assassin Grand Master wore an odd assortment of weaponry. Hidden blades graced his forearms, a bow and quiver were strapped over his left shoulder, twin pistols were holstered at his waist and most curiously of all, a tomahawk was shoved into his belt, he looked as he was, a Native American Assassin.  
Élise was yet to join us and there was something that I needed answered, and Connor had no doubt seen many strange things in his travels, he was the perfect man to ask.  
"When I was in the Temple du Marais with Élise," I started, bringing up our confrontation with Germain, "I saw something that I cannot explain."  
"What did you see?" inquired Connor, gesturing for me to continue.  
"When I was about to drive my sword into Germain's back, his sword seemed to act on its own accord and blasted me from my feet and into a nearby pillar with some kind of energy."  
"It must have been the fabled Sword of Eden then."  
"Yes, it was, Monsieur," I replied, the visions of Élise's death springing to my mind, "I was knocked unconscious, only for a few moments but I saw visions, visions that were so real that they couldn't have possibly been anything else."  
"And these visions, did they come to pass?"  
"No," I shook my head, "they revealed to me Élise's death at the hands of Germain, and my life afterward."  
"Curious… You know, I have experienced the same thing before, myself."  
"You have?"  
"Oh yes," Connor nodded thoughtfully, "many years ago I was shown visions from an Apple of Eden that had come to be in my possession. It showed me a future where Commander Washington had not given up power after our own revolution, but rather crowned himself as king. He became a tyrant, the very thing that I had fought to bring an end too. It was a bleak future, and many would have died if it had come to pass."  
"So these visions, they show an alternate future then?"  
"It would appear so my friend."  
I nodded, finally coming to an understanding about the visions that had been plaguing my dreams of late. "Thank you for your council, Grand Master."  
"Any time, Arno."  
A thought came to me, "With you gone from the colonies, who has been leading the Assassins in your absence?"  
"As it happens my lieutenant is taking upon the role of Mentor while I am away," Connor replied with a grin.  
"Your lieutenant?" I suppose it did make sense, as that is what would happen with my own Order.  
"Aveline her name is, Aveline de Grandpré."  
Strange, the name sounded almost… French.  
"Is she from France?"  
"No, her father was however," Connor chuckled, "you know, your Élise reminds me of her in many ways."  
I grinned, "Is she that stubborn then?"  
Connor laughed, "that she is Arno, that she is…"

We gathered with Connor once again at noon to form our plan for taking down the Carroll family  
"We should spilt up," he told us, pulling his hood over his head, "We will cover a lot more ground that way."  
Élise nodded, "I'll follow our friend, Mr Carroll around and take him out if I get the chance."  
"Alright," I told her with a smile, "Meanwhile I'll track down this James Gabrielle and see if his skills are truly as great as the rumours say."  
"It is a good plan," Connor told us, "I will see what damage I can do by eliminating some of the Carrolls advisors."  
"Alright, but don't take any unnecessary risks." I said seriously.  
"Who, me?" chuckled Élise.  
I smiled back at her and flicked open my pocket watch, "We'll meet back here at six o'clock."  
"I'll see you in six hours then," called Connor as he strode out through the door, "Good luck."  
I turned back to Élise who gave me one of her cocky grins. I pulled her close and gave her a short kiss, "Don't be late." I told her.  
"Of course, Monsieur," she gave me a mock bow and then planted a kiss on my lips, "I'll see you soon."  
"Stay out of trouble," I grinned.  
"Don't get caught," Élise replied with a wink. 

iii

It didn't take me long to track down a man with James Gabrielle's reputation. All it took was a "friendly" chat with a tavern owner who served most of the soldiers in this area of London and a bribe to a government official. And so, I found Mr Gabrielle striding through the local market by the Thames with two of his men, both of them Templar Knights as it were. I followed the trio from the rooftops, staying out of sight and waiting for an opportunity to attack. James Gabrielle himself was easy to pick out. He strode just in front of his companions and moved with the grace of a master swordsman. He wore a dark brown leather jacket and breeches, the jacket was trimmed in a lighter brown, and a darker brown pauldron adorned his right shoulder, the former symbol of the French Musketeers emblazoned upon it. Interesting, the legendary Musketeer regiment had been disbanded in 1776 by King Louis, and yet James Gabrielle wore their emblem, as if he were one of the legendary Musketeers of old. A large grey broad brimmed hat sat on his head, one side upturned. His hair was the colour of ebony and hung to his shoulders, he also sported a short beard. A sword hung at his left side, with a pistol shoved in his belt over each hip. A long bladed knife adorned the back of his wide belt. To finish things off, a Templar pendant hung from his neck. He had the look of a well trained fighter, but was he as good as legend spoke? But it wasn't his look that gave me thought to worry; it was the intensity of his gaze that showed his true nature. No, James Gabrielle was not a man to be trifled with.  
Like their leader, Monsieur Gabrielle's men wore shades of brown and swords hung from their belts, and each man bore the same symbol on their pauldrons.  
I followed the trio as they left the bustling market and made their way through a maze of streets, it took all of my skill to keep them in sight from my perch.  
After what felt like an eternity the small group made their way down a backstreet by the Thames and away from prying eyes, giving me an opening, so I took it. I ran across the rooftops to an arch that ran across the street. I watched as the trio came closer and closer and then I dropped down from the rooftops arch landed in a crouch in front of the Templars. Gabrielle's companions looked startled by my sudden appearance. As well they should be. However, they recovered quicker than most men would at the sudden appearance of an Assassin, showing that they were professionals. Even great warriors cannot stop a ranged attack however and the first one died with his mouth curled back in a sneer and reaching for his sword, my phantom dart catching him in the throat. I drew my sword as my final two opponents did, and then Gabrielle's friend charged me. I deflected the soldier's attack and then we exchanged a flurry of blows that ended with my sword sliding between his ribs. He slid off my blade and fell into a bloody heap at my feet. I slowly stepped back from the carnage that I had wrought, and looked towards my final opponent, who stood side on, his pistol leveled at my head. Shit. Without taking my eyes from his I lowered my sword, it was over. And then he did the strangest thing. He laughed and slipped his pistol back into his belt.  
"Raise your sword" he said with a gruff but amused tone, gesturing towards my sword with his own.  
I twirled my blade and dropped back into my fighting stance, my sword now pointing at my enemy's chest. Gabrielle reached behind his back with his left hand and drew his long knife, wielding two blades now, and moved towards me, looking me up and down.  
"Now, Assassin, you clearly know who I am or else you wouldn't be here, but may I have the pleasure of your name, before I run you through."  
"My name is Arno Dorian, son of the late Charles Dorian," I told him with a short smile. "And I fear that you are mistaken."  
"Ah, so you're a French Assassin."  
Damn it, I'd said too much. I scowled.  
"Yes, my employer did mention your name to me, Sir. However, even a Master Assassin such as yourself will prove no challenge for me," he gave me a patronizing smile, "Know that I would have no qualm in ending your life now, except for the fact that I have been told about your father since birth."  
"What do you know of him? What the Templar Order told you?"  
"To a point. You see, my father, Captain Alexandre Gabrielle, was a close friend of Shay Cormac. The same man who brought me into the Templar Order."  
"The same Shay Cormac who turned on the Assassins, I take it?"  
"Yes," he nodded, "And the same man who killed your father"

I looked at James Gabrielle in shock, I had known that a turncoat had killed my father eighteen years ago but I had never even suspected that it had been the infamous Shay Cormac who had dealt the blow.  
"You knew the man who murdered my father?"  
"Aye Sir, he told me of your father. He respected him greatly and never enjoyed carrying out the deed," he told me with a smirk, "For the respect I bear my former mentor I will give you this one chance to leave and return to France."  
"That is something that I'm afraid I cannot comply with, Monsieur," I returned his smirk, "And you should know, Assassins never run."  
"Then you will die where you stand."  
"Monsieur, I fear that you are the one who will fall today," I said, equally as cocky.  
"I think not."  
I gestured towards the corpses of his former companions with my sword, "Neither did they, Monsieur."  
He chuckled, "You know, a man with your particular talents and skill set would do well under my patronage and that of my employers."  
"You actually expect me to join you?" I scoffed. Was he mad?  
"Come now, we are in the same line of business, we're both killers, you and I."  
"I kill for the good of others, you only work for yourself." I told him with a glare.  
"I fear you are mistaken. We are the same, Arno. Your own Brotherhood is just too disillusioned to see through its own blindness."  
"The Assassins and Templars both seek to help others, there is no need for conflict between us Monsieur."  
"My Order seeks to free all men, and to help guide them, while yours seeks to make every man equal. With no one to guide them what will become of the ideal I wonder. Anarchy."  
"Not anarchy. Liberty and freedom." I told him.  
"Liberty and freedom? The only thing that your Brotherhood will create is chaos. Chaos and bloodshed, that would last a thousand years. Look at the revolution that is ravaging your nation as we speak. That will be the only future in what your so called 'creed' will bring. That is not what you want, is it?"  
"And what do you want Monsieur?"  
"To guide the people to a new world without fear of tyrannical leaders, such as your former leader, King Louis"  
"To guide them in a way that you see fit, not a path of their own choosing. That is no freedom."  
"Do you expect the Order to simply sit back and watch as the peace we have created tears itself apart, sir?" he said, patronizingly, "No, through our guidance there would be no more needless deaths."  
"I have heard of what you have done, Black Hand," I almost spat, "Yes, I know who you are Monsieur, massacring innocents for the chance of getting, what? Some kind of treasure? And yet you speak of ending 'needless deaths'."  
"It was a regrettable sacrifice," he told me in a tone that held anything but regret, "You do not understand the power of that I was searching for."  
"A piece of Eden then, I take it."  
"Ah, so you do know of them." For the first time he looked somewhat surprised.  
"I have held two in my hands. They are objects that should not be meddled with, Monsieur," I told him, remembering both the Apple and the Sword vividly, "Someone I care deeply about was nearly killed by one, just from being near it when it grew unstable."  
"Is that a warning, Assassin?" he grinned smugly, "Be that as it may, I will continue my hunt for the piece of Eden."  
"Then you are a fool."  
"You know, my father was from France, like yourself," Gabrielle told me, "He was a Captain in the King's Musketeers before the regiment was disbanded by your former king in '76. He taught me how to fight, how to kill."  
"And your point, Monsieur?"  
"I've been trained to hunt and kill men of your colour with ease, Arno. One Assassin, even a Master such as yourself, gives me no concern."  
"Assassins don't die easily."  
"We shall see."  
He spun his sword in the traditional Musketeer salute and then adopted his fighting crouch, still giving me a confident smile.  
"This is your last chance to join me, Assassin."  
I flicked out my hidden blade and twirled my sword.  
"Let's see if you truly are the legend that I have heard so much about." I replied with a smirk, I was going to wipe that smug smile off his arrogant face if it was the last thing I did.

As it turns out I didn't. Our blades sang as they collided and the ringing of steel echoed around the small alley. As we fought, it soon became apparent that Mr Gabrielle was playing with me, holding back his attacks and blocking my own at the last possible moment, and yet even though he was holding back he was just as good as me and I couldn't even get near to breaking his defense. His sword was a blur and his knife managed to keep my hidden blade at bay. It took all my skill to simply hold him off. I should have just shot him when I'd had the chance, safe from the rooftops or down on the street in which we now fought, and damned the honourless kill. Stupid, stupid Arno. I lunged with my sword and at the same time swung my hidden blade into a diagonal cut. In a stunning display of swordsmanship he blocked both my sword and hidden blade, before delivering a high kick to my chest. I flew backwards and turned the fall into a backwards roll, coming lightly to my feet, but breathing heavily.  
To my astonishment, my opponent wasn't panting at all, he just stood back, watching me with something that appeared to be pity in his eyes.  
"Pathetic" was all he said, distain clearly written on his face, "You should have joined me when you had the chance, Assassin."  
"You talk too much, Monsieur" I told him.  
We came together again, and this time he didn't hold back. Each blow I blocked jarred my wrists and it took all my effort to keep hold of my sword. He relentlessly rained down blows, forcing me into a hasty retreat. Not good. His next blow shot passed my defense and slashed across my cheek, sending a small wave of blood flying through the air. Not good at all. He came at me again and once more he got passed my defense and gave me a shallow cut to my right thigh. I roared and attacked, sending out lightning fast attacks, but no matter how hard I tried, James Gabrielle was faster, he was better. Finally he blocked a blow, battered through my weak defense and smashed the cross guard of his sword into my forehead, sending me to the ground. I lay on my back, my sword dropped from my senseless fingers and landed on the ground beside me.  
Élise…  
I had to live for Élise and the future we would share.  
With a roar I rolled to my feet and leapt on Gabrielle and we crashed to the ground in a heap, me on top. I hammered punches into his stomach, I had to win. Monsieur Gabrielle bellowed in rage and grabbed my wrists as I went to punch him yet again. I activated my hidden blade and started to force it to his throat.  
It became a battle of wills, both of us fighting to live. And then he was pushing my arms back, my blade which had been so close to his neck was now halfway between us. I strained, pushing my arms to their limits, and then James Gabrielle smashed his head into mine. I grunted in pain and rolled off him, snatching up my fallen sword at the same time. I turned just in time to block a blow the Gabrielle had aimed at me with his own blade.  
"Your will to live impresses me, Assassin. However, it will do you no good."  
Did he ever shut up?  
I snarled and charged him again, without his dagger in hand we were more evenly matched, and I came close to breaking through his defense a few times, but he had an answer for everything I tried. Our swords were blurs as they cut through the air and clashed together. I aimed a lightning fast slash at his ribs but he managed to get his sword up and block the blow. And then he spun within my reach and smashed his elbow into my chest, I stumbled backwards and then he sent a high kick my way. It caught my stomach and threw me into a nearby door. Splinters flew about me as the door smashed to the ground under me. I rose to my feet and shook the ringing in my ears out, just in time to deflect a sword stroke aimed at ribs. I blocked the blow but my sword was torn from my grasp. I backed down the corridor, fending him off with just my hidden blade now. I saw a set of stairs behind me so I dashed up them, and turned just in time to stop his sword from plunging into my back. He leapt up the final stairs and crashed into me, throwing me against the wall. I heard the wood crack behind me and saw a crack emerge, revealing the dark waters of the Thames below. My hidden blade was pinned to my chest as I fought to keep his sword from opening my throat.  
"Why do you resist?" he bellowed into my face.  
An image of Élise flashed across my mind. I had to live.  
"I will never stop," I snarled and smashed my right fist into his chin.  
Gabrielle stumbled back a step before coming at me with more ferocity. I desperately defended, but I had nowhere to go, I was trapped. Gabrielle lashed out and I barely raised my hidden blade in time, and then his knee found my stomach. I doubled over and then he smashed his sword guard into my face. I crashed into the wall and felt blood erupt from my lips. I deflected his sword again and then his sword guard found my chest and he hammered down blows with his fist and guard. And then with a final kick to my chest, the wall behind me exploded outwards and I was tossed into the waters below.  
I heard a pistol crack and the shot missed my head by a hairs breadth, I pushed myself deeper into the water and I felt something glance off my shoulder, a bullet. I had been just deep enough to avoid death. My vision started to darken and my lungs burned from the strain of holding air in. I looked up through the water and saw Monsieur Gabrielle sheath his sword and leave; he must have thought that I was dead. I waited a few more moments until I was certain that he had left before kicking myself to the surface. My ears started to ring and my vision grew darker. I reached the surface and pulled myself onto shore with a groan.  
And then I blacked out.

iii

I came too with the ringing still in my head. I groaned and staggered to my feet, retrieving my sword from where it lay in the building. I touched my cheek, feeling the dry blood as it cracked under my fingertips. It was the same with my thigh, I was lucky that the cut was only a shallow one. I looked around to get my bearing and saw that the two men that I had killed were still lying in the street. I sheathed my sword and closed my eyes, remembering my fight with Gabrielle, there had to be a weakness in his defense that I could exploit in our next encounter. Well, aside from his immeasurable arrogance. I went over and over the fight, remembering every move that was made. I couldn't remember seeing a weakness at all. Damn it, I would have to try something else. I focused on my gifts and used my Eagle Vision power that Bellec had taught me all those years ago. I opened my eyes and stepped back, watching as apparitions myself and James Gabrielle fought in front of me. There _had_ to be a weakness somewhere. I went through the memory again and again. Nothing. I swore, there had to be a way to take down Gabrielle, I still had at the very least, three hours before my rendezvous with Élise and Connor.  
Wait… And then it hit me. I had been thinking and fighting like an _Assassin_. Gabrielle had said that he had been trained to fight _Assassins_. That was the key, to not think and fight like how I had been trained, and maybe, just maybe, I could defeat him. Easier said than done, but it was indeed a start.  
I flicked out my pocket watch. _Six o'clock_ , damn it! I had been unconscious for almost five hours. I closed my eyes and sighed at my own stupidity. No doubt Monsieur Gabrielle had warned the Carrolls about my being in London and through that information came to the conclusion that Élise was here as well. Shit! They would have realized that we would have been staying at Miss Scott's mansion. Mr Carroll would have had ample time to rally his men and march on Queen Square… The very Place I was supposed to be meeting with Élise and Connor. And I was late. They could be walking into a trap right now, and it was my doing. I had to warn them. I pulled my hood back over my head and sprinted back into the main street, following it back to the market, on course for Queen Square.

I wove in and out of the huge crowds that packed every street. Damn it, it was taking too long to move. I glanced around the street and saw a small cart leaning against a pile of crates. Perfect. I pushed my way through the crowd until I reached the side of the street where the crowd was thinner. I sped up to a jog and shoved my way passed the last few people between me and my objective. I powered on to a run and finally I was sprinting towards the cart. I leapt onto the cart, vaulted onto the pile of crates and leapt again, using my momentum to fly through the air to an overhanging beam. I pulled myself up onto the wooden beam and stood to my full height. The crowd stretched down the street for a mile. The street wasn't an option. Ignoring the gawking people below me, I grabbed the edge of the roof and pulled myself up onto the building. I looked towards Queen Square. Ah, I could see it as a speck in the distance now. Once again I pushed myself into a run and shot along the rooftops at a far better speed than when I was in the street. I hoped I could make it in time to avert this catastrophe. 

As I neared the Square I saw Élise appear from one of the side streets and walk into the open area, clearly not expecting any danger. I looked around as I ran onwards, please don't be a trap. Please. Nothing happened. A few moments later nothing was still happening. I gave a sigh of relief and slowed my run, we were in the clear. Lucky, very lucky Arno.  
And then men poured out of every side street around the Square and surrounded Élise with a ring of swords. Once more I had spoken too soon.  
There would have been a dozen of them, to many for even Élise to fight alone. I ran for all I was worth and reached the last building before the square. Without a second thought I leapt from the edge of the roof and plunged towards the circle of men. I had to save Élise. She was standing with her sword drawn and her pistol aimed towards one of the men when I dropped from the sky and rammed my hidden blade into one of her attackers, sending him crashing to the ground as I landed on top of him. As he died I rose to my feet, drew my sword and rammed in through another man's side. Blood gushed from his wound as I withdrew my sword, before shooting a third man with my pistol. Élise had used my swift attack as a distraction to eliminate two more of her attackers. Her pistol boomed, sounding the death toll of another brigand. She moved to my side and we shared a glance, before we holstered our empty pistols and faced our last six attackers.  
"How did they know we were here?" spat Élise, "I was about to move on Monsieur Carroll when he was warned of our arrival in London."  
"I failed my attack on James Gabrielle."  
"Okay," she gave me one of her cocky grins, "Let's fix your mess then."  
"Sounds good to me"  
"Just like that time in Germain's workshop."  
I recalled the particular incident well; we had been in search of Germain for questioning and had ran into an ambush that he had left us. The following fight didn't go so well for our four attackers. It was there that we had learnt that Germain had given the orders for Élise's father to be killed.  
"Six is a few more than four," I told her with a grin, keeping my eyes on our six attackers to make sure that they didn't surround us.  
"But only by two."  
We leveled our swords at our enemies and watched as they prepared to attack us. Three opponents each? It wouldn't take long.  
And that's when it all went wrong. They started laughing.  
A shout went up from one of the brigands and another dozen men poured out from a side street and joined our six attackers, enabling them to fully surround us. And then it got worse. William Carroll strode out from behind a corner with a new accomplice and joined his men. The new man was clothed in a black coat and wore a sword at his side, twin pistols shoved down the back of his wide belt. And a red Templar pin adorned his jacket. Mr Carroll was smiling triumphantly as he realized that one, we were surrounded and facing impossible odds and that two, that we had no gunshot left. We stood back to back, with no hope of escape. It was the end.

Élise stepped back and partly leaned on me, back to back. I turned my head to the side and we looked into each other's eyes for a moment and sadness filled my heart, a pain knowing that I had gotten the woman I loved killed, or worse.  
"I'm sorry…" I whispered as our enemies closed in around us, cursing my carelessness.  
"I love you," was her only reply.  
I brushed my left hand against hers, our fingers briefly entwining. I made my decision then and there. I wasn't going to let Élise die for my careless mistake, no matter the cost.  
"I love you, Élise." 

"It seems that you have finally run out of luck Miss de la Serre," said Mr Carroll with a triumphant, patronizing smile, "and soon you will regret ever having come to London five years ago."  
"Don't be too sure," Élise replied, "I still owe you a debt, Monsieur."  
Mr Carroll laughed mirthlessly, "You have some nerve girl."  
"Yes well, you can blame my 'wild' French upbringing for that," she told him with a smirk, "As it were."  
He sneered back at Élise before gesturing to his black clad accomplice, "Allow me to introduce Mr Samuel Mercer."  
"Pleasure," replied Élise sarcastically.  
"She's a right charmer isn't she?" came his very English reply, "My captain would very much like to see you dead, Assassin."  
I shot him a look over my shoulder, "And who may that be?"  
"You met him in an alley not five hours ago."  
Ah, so this was James Gabrielle's man.  
"Right you are Monsieur," I replied, "Tell me, how does one such as yourself get roped in to serving scum like Gabrielle?"  
"Oh I'm going to enjoy killing you, Assassin," he chuckled mirthlessly.  
Mr Carroll gave a patronizing smirk before calling to me, "I am sorry that she pulled you into our little misunderstanding, Assassin. Believe me, your death isn't personal."  
"It rather is for me," I shot back, glaring at the man over my shoulder.  
"Of course."  
"As I told you in Paris, Mr Carroll, we will have your life before this is done."  
"Many have tried," was his only reply, "And you are in no position to make threats, Assassin."  
"You are a traitor to the Order, Monsieur," Élise told the Templar, "One day soon they will see you for what you are."  
"Bring her forward," Mr Carroll said to Mercer with a smirk.  
The man nodded and gestured to one of his men, "do as he says."  
"Yes Sir," replied the man before leaving the square.  
He returned a few moments later shoving his captive before him.  
My breath caught in my mouth. It was Jennifer Scott.

"Drop your weapons or she dies," Monsieur Carroll told us triumphantly.  
I cursed my stupidity, once more my carelessness had gotten someone killed, and this time it was going to be all of us.  
"This is between us," snarled Élise, "let her go."  
"Drop your swords and she goes free."  
Damn it, the second we drop our weapons we are all dead. But Miss Scott had invited us into her home, and it return I had gotten her killed. There was no choice.  
"You coward," I spat, preparing to drop my sword to the ground.  
And then she did it. Jennifer pulled a knife from the folds of her dress and shoved it into the man holding her. The blade stabbed deeply into his thigh, and with an outraged bellow her captor plunged his sword into her back, straight through her heart.  
"No!" screamed Élise as Jennifer slumped to the ground in a bloody heap.  
She had done it for us I realized. She had done it so that we had a chance to escape.  
"You will pay for that with your life," I told Monsieur Carroll with a glare.  
He was going to pay for her death, one way or another.  
"Enough of this," William Carroll drew his sword, "I did want you dead Assassin, but I will spare you for Miss de la Serre's pleasure… At least for a while."  
"And for what reason, may I inquire?" asked Élise with a frown.  
"I'm going to make you watch as I slowly torture the man you love," he told Élise with a smirk, "and when he is finally broken, both physically and mentally, I will cut his throat while you watch. That is your penance for killing my daughter"  
"I am going to kill you" screamed Élise, "You treacherous bastard." I sensed her making ready to attack behind me.  
"Enough," Mr Carroll gestured to his men, "After I have finished with them the girl is yours."  
No… Rage flared within me, if I had to take down every man here I would. I would let no man so much as think about touching Élise.  
"Take them."

The man directly in front of me twirled his sword and spat at my feet, before grinning, "I'm going to enjoy gutting you, Assassin, and then I'm going to enjoy your little wench a while."  
He glanced at one of his companions and they bellowed with laughter. The same anger filled me that it had in the Antlers days before, how dare he insult Élise. I was the one going to enjoy this.  
"Ready?" I whispered to Élise, knowing that she would understand that our best chance would be to attack first and catch them off guard.  
I heard her left boot slide backwards on the paving stones, it barely made a sound but it came clearly through my heightened senses. She was ready.  
"Now!" she cried and leapt towards her first opponent, her sword flashing.  
Before the man in front of me had fully turned back I made my move. I struck like lightning, faster than my opponent could have thought possible. I lunged forwards and stabbed my blade into the bastard's groin. Ouch. I kept moving forwards and shouldered him to the ground. He screamed as blood poured from his wound; he was going to die in agony for his last remark. I span to the left, inside the swing of another brigand, and slashed my hidden blade across his exposed throat. He fell to the ground with a cry, blood erupting from his gaping wound. I sensed an attack coming from behind and swung my sword over my shoulder, tip facing the ground. Steel rang as his attack was stopped and I span around and opened his stomach with a wild slash.  
"Down!" cried Élise and I ducked instantly, a blade narrowly missing as it whistled overhead.  
I span to dispatch him but Élise had already leaped passed me and was pulling her blade from the dying man even as I turned. I deflected an attack targeting Élise's exposed back and smashed the pommel of my sword into her attackers face. He crashed to the ground in a heap, in this kind of fight unconscious was as good as dead. Between us, we had eliminated seven men from the fight. I blocked a swing aimed at my neck, and as our blades connected, Élise slashed her sword across his now exposed stomach. As the light left his eyes and he crashed to the ground, we span away to face new threats. We wove in and out, working together in perfect unison, never standing still. I ducked a wild swing and was then amongst three men.  
I kept low and deflected an attack with my hidden blade, but was too late to stop a second attack from another man. I heard the blade hiss towards me and even as I moved to avoid it, felt it bite into my side. I cried out as the pain hit me, but I pushed it down, ignoring the blood flowing from the shallow wound. I had to keep moving or I was a dead man. I sent my assailant sprawling by taking his legs out from under him with a kick. As he fell I ripped my sword across another attacker's thigh and knocked him to the ground. My hair came loose as my hood was pulled back from my ears by my last attacker. As the man I had wounded fell, I grabbed his pistol from his belt with my spare hand, raised it and pulled the trigger. The pistol boomed and shot the third man in the face. I dropped the discharged weapon and stepped backwards, bumping into Élise, both of us breathing heavily. Against impossible odds we had defeated fourteen of the men. I let myself hope that maybe, just maybe, we could pull this off.  
"Well that was… Entertaining," smirked Samuel Mercer, drawing a pistol in each hand. He looked over his shoulder, "NOW!"  
Another dozen men ran to join the fight, taking up positions, these men however bore the same Musketeer symbol as James Gabrielle had, damn it, these men were professional soldiers. We now faced seventeen opponents. And then Mercer pushed through the ring of warriors around us, "You may be wondering why we bare the crest of the Musketeers," he told me, his tone patronizing, "You see, each of us served in with the Musketeers, or like our leader, is the son of one. Even you cannot best all of us."  
This was it then. The moment my last hope died. In our exhausted state we could have taken the last four men we had faced, but sixteen of these 'musketeers' and Samuel Mercer? No, we had little chance.  
"We cannot let them take us alive," Élise whispered behind me as she faced off against the men before her.  
We kept moving in circles, our backs to each other, watching our enemies for any sign of attack. I prayed to every god that I could think of that somehow, just somehow we could escape, or at least that Élise would. And then I saw it, or rather sensed it. There it was, a slight movement on a two story building behind one of the chimneys to our left. A slight _cream coloured_ movement. Connor had arrived at last.  
"Élise…"  
"I know" she had seen him too.  
We stopped circling and I stood facing Mr Mercer. He was about to give the order to attack. I had to by us some time.  
As his mouth opened I quickly interrupted, "before we begin Monsieur, there is something that I wish to know."  
"And what is that?"  
"Were you in Havana when Gabrielle ordered the attack on those innocent people?"  
He smirked back at me and laughed, "Aye, I was there boy. You should have heard them scream as we cut them down one by stinking one."  
"I see…" I said quietly, looking Mercer directly in the eye, "Monsieur, how can anyone be so cruel as to end innocent lives without cause? You are a monster Mr Mercer."  
"You will never know, Assassin," he raised a pistol with his left hand, leveling it at my chest, "Before you die, know that I am going to enjoy breaking your little rose over there." He indicated Élise.  
"No. No you won't," I snarled, "You will be too dead for that."  
"I wish that you had accepted my captain's offer, Assassin. Know that I will take no pleasure from this."  
And then two things happened as he cocked his pistols. Firstly one of Mr Carroll's men sprinted from an alley shouting, "Soldiers! They're on to us!"  
Seconds before we heard a gunshot and he crumpled to the ground in a bloody heap, while a large group of English soldiers, there would have been at least twenty of them, poured out from the street that Mr Carroll's scout had ran from, muskets at the ready, turning towards the Templar Knight's own force.  
Samuel Mercer bellowed orders and turned his right hand pistol on the advancing force. The gun crackled and kicked back, sending one of the charging redcoats to the ground. He holstered his now empty gun and drew his sword.  
And then ten of our attackers turned to face the new threat, roaring defiantly and bringing their swords to bear, bracing for the imminent attack.  
Leaving us facing only six of the thugs, Monsieur Mercer and Mr Carroll. Our odds had remarkably improved, but still, not enough to turn the tide.  
And then the second thing happened.  
Arrows sprouted from the chests of three men behind us, sending them to the pavement of Queen Square, blood staining their shirts, and giving us an avenue to escape down.  
I glanced at Élise as we started backing away from the fight, towards the opening.  
Connor dropped down beside us from the rooftops, his massive bow now slung over his shoulders and a tomahawk held loosely in his right hand, a strange dagger in his left.  
"We have to leave before the soldiers turn on us," he said, glancing around at the battle unfolding before us.  
Our attackers were dropping like flies as the redcoats unleashed a musket volley upon them before charging Monsieur Mercer's last men with their bayonets at the ready. Steel clashed on steel and the fight erupted in full fury.  
Seeing an opportunity I raised my left arm and once again unleashed my phantom blade, sending a dart buzzing from the crossbow like mechanism. Luckily for Mr Mercer, he saw my movement at the last possible second and danced to the right. The dart missed his throat and caught his left wrist instead; his pistol flew from his grasp. He once again glanced at the fight and saw that only three of his men remained fighting the redcoats. And now he had no pistol to shoot one of us with.  
"Retreat!" he roared his voice full of anger, "fall back!"  
And with an angry flourish of his sword turned and ran, taking the three men facing us with him down one of the side lanes.  
Seeing his ally fleeing the battle, Mr Carroll took a leaf from his accomplice's book and sprinted towards a different side street, where he fled with two of his waiting men.  
"We have to leave, now" said Connor again, glancing at us as the soldiers overpowered the last of Mercer's men and noticed us.  
"Wait…" Élise started, stopping her movement and gesturing towards the fleeing Mr Carroll's back, "This is our only chance, our one chance to end this."  
As she spoke I saw that indeed our enemy was fleeing down a nearby alleyway. Damn it, she was right. This was our only chance and if they escaped the cycle would only continue, and next time we might not be so lucky.  
"I'll take Monsieur Carroll, you get Mercer," she told me, pointing her sword at James Gabrielle's lieutenant.  
I looked at Élise with a smile, "Take him. End this."  
And with that Élise took off after her hated enemy, William Carroll, her sword firmly in her grasp.  
I looked to Connor and indicated Samuel Mercer as he too fled the Square, a group of redcoats hot on his heels.  
"Shall we?" I said with a cocky grin.  
He nodded with a smile and together we sprinted after Mercer and his last five men, this fight would end today, one way or another. 

iv

As we wound our way through the maze of backstreets we had found that Monsieur Mercer had stationed a lot of men along the way, clearly in case we had escaped the trap he had laid for us. They would come from behind corners or burst from doors to attack us, but time and time again we repelled the ambushes. A group of three men came at us as we emerged from yet another street. The first charged towards me, while his companions turned to face Connor. With a flick of his left wrist Connor engaged his hidden blade, and as it reached full length, the blade spun in his hand until he was holding the strange knife from before in a backhand grip. Interesting. I glanced back at my attacker and steel rang as I blocked his sword. With a flick of my wrist I deflected his blade to the ground, before spinning inside his reach, and with my blade still holding his at bay to my side, smashed the guard into his unprotected face. With a grunt he toppled to the ground with a pained grunt, senseless. I finished him off with a quick stab to the heart before turning to see Connor masterfully dispatch both his opponents at the same time. His axe came up, catching one man in the chin, while his knife was punched into the second soldier's chest.  
Connor slipped his axe into his belt, then disengaged his knife and it slid back into its gauntlet with a snick. We exchanged a nod and once again set off after Samuel Mercer.  
We followed them for what seemed like an eternity, catching glimpses of our quarry for moments before they slipped around bends out of sight, but one thing was certain, we were catching up.

We finally left the backstreets behind and ran onto a main road. I looked around, trying to find a trap, but there was none. Instead Samuel Mercer and his last surviving five men stood opposite us, swords drawn and facing down a group of eight British soldiers. So Monsieur Mercer had had indeed left some extra men posted nearby to give him reinforcements.  
And then with a roar, a further four redcoats came charging out at Connor and myself from the alley we had just run from.  
"These are innocent men and are not too die," I called to Connor as he reached for his tomahawk and I placed a hand on his arm.  
He looked at me and nodded, "Old habits"  
Of course. He had grown up fighting British redcoats in the American Revolution. I gave him a cocky sidelong grin and moved towards my two opponents. The first soldier ran at me with a snarl and swung his bayonet up in a diagonal slash. As it reached hip height I leapt forwards, over the weapon and passed the solider, I hit the ground and with a roll came to my feet. I ducked the second man's swing and then smashed his chin with an uppercut. He flew backwards and crashed to the ground with a grunt, blood pouring from his mouth. One down. I turned back to my original opponent and moved just in time to avoid a deadly lunge. I grabbed the musket as it whistled passed and spun in a circle, wrenching the weapon from its owner's grasp. I spun the weapon in my hands until I held it backwards and continued my pirouette. As the soldier's speed carried him passed me, I smashed the butt of the musket into the back of his head. His forwards momentum carried him a few steps before he too crashed to the ground with a surprised look on his face.  
To my left, Connor had quickly dispatched his adversaries and we shared a glance before turning back to see Mercer's men triumph over the British soldiers.  
I could only watch as the Templar and his men mercilessly cut down the redcoats like they were nothing. Mercer himself faced the last soldier and with a lightning fast downwards swing of his sword, cleaved the soldier's raised bayonet in two and cut him across the face, where he dropped to the ground in a bloody mess.

I drew my own blade and watched as Monsieur Mercer leveled his sword towards me, "That one is mine."  
His men acknowledged the order and moved to face Connor. I glanced at my companion, I knew he was an expert warrior, I knew that if he drew even one weapon he would finish the fight in a matter of moments, but could he take five professional soldiers at once, while unarmed? The Grand Master simply gave me a confident grin, but didn't reach for a weapon as we walked towards our enemies.  
Connor glanced at me, gave me a nod, and then charged his five opponents, unarmed.  
"CONNOR!" I called after him as the men he faced shared a snigger and then broke in to a run towards Connor.  
Without slowing the Master Assassin drew both his pistols and pulled the triggers. Smoke billowed from their tips as the bullets shot towards the advancing men. Surprise covered their faces as two of their number dropped to the ground with gaping holes in their chests. Connor then ducked a wild sword swing, grabbed his attacker's sword hilt with one arm and smashed his other into the man's face. His nose broke with a crack and he fell backwards with a cry, losing his grip on the sword as Connor wrenched it from his grasp. And then Connor stood facing only three men, one of who was unarmed, except for a small knife, his face covered in fresh blood.  
It was the last thing I saw before I engaged Samuel Mercer.  
"The Assassin returns once again," he smirked, giving the Musketeer salute, "Prepare to die."  
I broke into a charge towards my enemy, "Come on then."

Mercer was good. No, he was very good. Our swords rang as they clashed together again and again. We moved like lightning, dancing back and forth, never standing still. We were almost evenly matched. Almost. His once triumphant expression had turned into incomprehension, as if he had never been faced with a better opponent. And I was better, and he knew it. Incomprehension finally turned into worry in his eyes as I battered my way through his defense without mercy. He had been in Havana. His sword was stained with the blood on innocents, blood that would never wash off. And so I resolved to end his life.  
"You butchered innocent people," I roared over the clash of our steel.  
He hastily blocked a blow, but barely.  
"I did only as commanded," Mercer cried desperately, as I easily deflected one of his wild attacks.  
"Liar," I bellowed, hatred filling me, how could any man murder innocent people of no cause?  
He wasn't just a murderer of innocents I discovered, but a coward as well. I came at him faster now, deflecting his sword with my hidden blade and hammering him to the ground with my sword guard. As he crashed to the ground, I stabbed my sword into the mud beside him and crouched, my hidden blade at his neck.  
"Where is James Gabrielle?"  
He looked at me angrily and snarled, trying to shove me off. He failed.  
"Where is James Gabrielle?" I said forcefully, pressing my blade into his neck slightly. A trail of blood slowly ran down his throat and he gave me a smirk.  
"He is returning to Dover as we speak, before sailing for his fortress in Jersey to rally his men for a counter attack. He has escaped you." He goaded with the same arrogant smirk.  
I nodded, it was probably true.  
"Then why are you here, if your master is gone?"  
"He left me behind to command his land forces, and to overlook our holdings in England."  
"His mistake," I smiled cockily, before an idea came to my head. There was something that this man might know. "You served as Gabrielle's second in command, did you not?"  
"I did."  
"Did he ever mention a Mr Shay Cormac?"  
"Perhaps."  
"Tell me," I said with a dark expression, "while you still have some dignity left."  
He nodded, what was protecting a man he didn't know really worth after all? He quickly told me the directions to the house where Shay currently resided, a large house in the south of London.  
I looked up as Connor strode up to me and dropped his bloodied sword on the ground and sent me a nod. Nearby Élise jogged out from a side street and headed towards me.  
"The bastard escaped… he had a ship awaiting his arrival in the Thames," said Élise sadly, as she reached my side, "we have lost him."  
I sent Élise a sidelong smile before returning my gaze to my fallen enemy and gave him the coup de grâce. Mercer died well, full of defiance. He lived up to the Musketeers name in that regard.

v

A little over an hour later I walked alone through the streets of London as the sun went down, watching as the lamps were lit by the lamplighters with their poles. The city started to take on a warm glow as the lanterns came to life all about me. I stopped before a large two story house and looked it up and down with a sigh, I was here. It was a simple looking place with brown walls and a black tiled roof. I noticed with a bemused smile that it had been laid out so that a proficient freerunner could easily scale the building; no doubt for Shay to escape if a vengeful Assassin came knocking. I flicked my hood down and strode up the small set of stairs before the doors, before hesitantly knocking. I heard footsteps coming down a hallway towards the door and then the door opened before me with a creak. And there he stood, the man who had killed my father eighteen years ago, the man who had left the Assassin Brotherhood to join the Templar Order. Shay Cormac.

He looked in his early sixties with long dark grey hair that was tied back much like my own. He stood with a powerful poise, carrying himself with pride. As I looked at him it dawned upon me, that this is what Mr Weatherall could have been like, if he hadn't been crippled and if he hadn't taken to the liquor after the death of Julie de la Serre. He carried himself with the same haughty dignity that Fredrick did himself. I imagined that he was still a skilled swordsman even at his advancing age. He wore a grey Templar coat, trimmed in red and a set of hidden blades adorned his wrists, clearly he was taking no chances. He looked down at me with a thoughtful look that turned into something like recognition.  
"I've been expecting a visit from you for many years," he said with a nod, "Arno Dorian."  
His voice contained a mix of American and Irish tones and was cultured even so. But how did he know who I was?  
"How do you know my name?" I asked in surprise.  
"I remember them all, Arno, every man that I have killed," he told me with a sad smile, "You look just as your father did a lifetime ago."  
"I have heard that before," I replied with a chuckle.  
"So this is it is it? You have finally come to have your revenge."  
I shook my head, "No Monsieur, I simply wish to understand"  
He didn't look surprised as I had imagined, he only nodded as if he had half expected this.  
"You had better come in then," he said, stepping back into his house and indication me to follow.  
With a glance back to the street, I wondered why I hadn't killed the traitor, the man who had killed dozens of Assassins including my father. I wondered why I didn't want revenge on the man who had taken my only family from me. I looked back towards Shay as he strode back inside his house, and then I followed.

We sat at a small round wooden table facing each other in silence for a while. It was hard to take in, eighteen years ago this man had killed my father in cold blood, one of dozens of Assassins that he had killed, and yet here I sat, drinking tea with him.  
"Samuel Mercer is dead, he was James Gabrielle's second in command," I told him simply as he watched me, answering his question before he asked it, "That is how I found your whereabouts."  
"James went against everything that I tried to teach him," Shay sighed, "and I severed my ties with him shortly after he slaughtered all those innocents in Havana."  
"I see."  
He looked at me thoughtfully for a few moments, before he smiled warmly at me, "So, what do you wish to know then, Mr Dorian?"  
"Why did you turn your back on the Brotherhood and take up arms against them?"  
"It is a long tale I'm afraid."  
"So tell me," I insisted, leaning forward.  
Shay gave me a sad smile before beginning his tale.  
"My former Mentor, Achilles Davenport, and I had a disagreement about collateral damage," he sighed. "I was sent on a mission to retrieve a piece of Eden from the city of Lisbon by my Mentor. And when I finally retrieved it, it triggered an earthquake that destroyed the city and killed hundreds of innocent people. When I questioned my mentor about the needless loss of life, Achilles just brushed it off as a necessity in our struggle against the Templars, while I felt that even if it was for a just cause, killing one innocent, let alone hundreds was a step too far. He had turned me into a murderer and had forced me to kill innocents - for that I never forgave him. I discovered that life's hardest choices are ones that make you question your moral code, and so I left the Assassins, unable to serve under my former Mentor any longer."  
I nodded thoughtfully, had I been in the same situation I probably would have done the same thing.  
"It would have been a hard thing knowing that by taking the artifact you would have killed so many people."  
"Aye… I still carry the guilt to this day…" He said sadly, "Over the next year I worked with the Templars, in return for help. You see, after leaving the Brotherhood I stole a manuscript detailing the whereabouts of other pieces of Eden, so that no more catastrophes could occur; no more innocents would die. And so Achilles sent his Assassins after me and I killed every last one of them…"  
He looked into my eyes as if searching for something. Anger? Rage?  
He must have expected me to be ready to leap over the table and end his life for killing so many of my brothers. But I just watched him thoughtfully and nodded for him to continue.  
"I discovered that my ideals lay more towards the Templar way than that of the Assassins. A year passed and I was inducted into the American rite by the Grand Master of the time, Haytham Kenway," he looked at me and caught my bemused smile, "Ah, I see that you have indeed heard that name."  
"I have Monsieur," I told him, "I am only sitting here today due to his actions and those of his son, Connor. Haytham was a great man."  
"He was a good man and a fine leader," Shay agreed, "We shared many of the same views, one of which was that Achilles' recklessness would go on to end many more innocent lives, and so we set out to stop him. Over the next few years I was forced to kill many of my former friends and brothers as they blindly followed Achilles in his quest and to this day I remember their faces and still bear the scars of my actions," he tapped his head, the scars were inside, he still felt the guilt to this day, "You must understand, I had to kill them, to save innocent lives."  
I wondered, would I have been capable of killing my friends and brothers to avert the deaths of many innocent people? I had killed Bellec to stop him from hunting down Élise, but could I have killed my mentor to save someone, even an innocent, that I didn't even know? Shay Cormac was a brave man indeed to have given up so much for what he believed in.  
"Over the next year we stopped Achilles from completing his plan to find all of the Precursor artifacts, and then I suppose, we come to why you are truly here, my journey to Versailles," he took a deep breath, "Shortly after we had stopped Achilles, Haytham sent me to retrieve a Precursor box, an artifact that could translate the language of The First Civilization, so that it would not fall into the hands of the Assassins. It took me twenty years, but finally word came to me that it had been found in France, and I set out to recover it, before any harm could befall an innocent life."  
I knew in my heart what he was about to tell me, and I was beginning to understand why he would have committed the act.  
"In 1776 it became known to me that a high ranking French Assassin was being tasked with guarding the Precursor box, as it happens that man was your father. I felt no enmity towards him and from what I was to learn, I would soon highly respect him despite fighting for different causes. In my mind I saw that my stopping people from using the pieces of Eden and the Precursor artifacts, was saving innocent lives. And so I killed your father to retrieve the artifact, and in doing so believed that I had spared many, if not countless innocents of the grief that I bore."  
I wasn't sure what to say. The man who had killed my father was openly admitting to his crime and I could see the guilt in his eyes. This was a man who felt that by killing his former allies even for a just cause, he was somehow losing himself as a person. I gestured for him to go on, not trusting myself to speak. Was it anger I felt? Was it sadness? or shock?  
"After recovering the box I returned to the colonies briefly, before setting out to stop more people from claiming the pieces of Eden. Barely five years later I received word that my mentor, Haytham, had been killed. Not long after his death, what was left of the American Order broke down without his leadership and I abandoned the colonies with no wish to take up the mantle of Grand Master. I left to find a measure of peace to help ease my conscious," Shay was silent for a few moments before continuing quietly, "The bloodshed between the two orders is a foolish waste of life. Far too many good men, Assassin and Templar, have fallen to this stupid crusade that has spanned centuries."  
"On that I must agree with you, and as we speak I am working on a third way for the two orders, one that will stop the war and bring a time of peace."  
"You are a good man Arno," he told me, "I truly hope that you can accomplish what you are working towards. You have shown me that you are willing to forgive the past and because of that I am hopeful for the future of the two orders."  
"Your help has been invaluable," I said, and I meant it. Shay had given me a glimpse it what is was like to be of both orders and that at the end of the day, men were just men. That the war between Templars and Assassins had only been kept alive by the leaders of the two groups, leaders who had sometimes extreme ideas, even if they were good men at heart.  
"It gladdens me to hear you say that," he smiled sadly, "I truly am sorry for taking your father away from you."  
"You helped to make me into the man I am today, Monsieur," I replied, remembering all my triumphs and failures, experiences that changed me forever. Élise came into my mind and I realized that if Shay hadn't killed my father then I would never have been adopted by Monsieur de la Serre, and I would not be with her. "Without you I doubt that I would have ever known true happiness, and I would not have worked beside a Templar."  
"I suppose it is ironic then," he chuckled.  
And then I told him everything, from the death of Monsieur de la Serre, to my imprisonment and joining the Assassins. I told him of my hunt for Germain and the chase that lasted five long years. I told him of the letters sent by his former mentor, Haytham Kenway and working with his son these last few days. And then I told him of my feelings towards Élise.  
"You know, throughout my life all I have ever wanted was to be something and to help those in need. In you I see questions, I see a desire for peace. I see that you care deeply for Élise and that she clearly does for you, a good thing not just for yourself, but for the two orders, and I see in you a chance for peace between the Templars and Assassins," Shay said and something awoke in his eyes, a kind of fire sparked, "I may be old, but I am still a swordsman, a captain and a Templar Knight, and as such I will do all that is within my power to aide your cause."  
"You have done so much Monsieur, but I cannot ask for your help."  
"Then don't ask," he grinned, "I am coming with you Arno, whether you like it or not."  
"Alright," I replied, "It will take time, and it will be a difficult task."  
"Don't I know it, but this damned crusade has to end."  
I nodded, "Aye, far too many innocent people have been caught up in the crossfire."  
"And more are coming to realize it," he said, his eyes shining, "Myself, you, Haytham Kenway and his son, Count Mirabeau, François and Julie de la Serre, and as you tell me, their daughter as well. Only four of us are still breathing Arno, it is a fight that has cost many good people their lives."  
"It is a just cause," I told him, "And I won't stop fighting until this dream becomes a reality."  
"I have been out of the fight for far too long as it is," Shay smiled, "I will use my standing within the Order to arrange a meeting with my French brothers."  
"Aye, that would be most helpful," Shay's status as a high ranking Templar would be very useful in bridging the gap between the two groups, "With you backing us and with the death of Monsieur Carroll, then I imagine all of the de la Serre loyalists will come out into the open once again. The only problem being that William Carroll is still breathing."  
"That was my thinking," Shay nodded, "However before we return to France there is something that we must do."  
"Of course," I nodded, "What do you need?"  
"James Gabrielle has been allowed to kill far too many innocent people, and I have let this go on for far too long as it is. Templar or not, I should have killed him long ago. We must take out Gabrielle and William Carroll before we depart or they will rally more men and hunt you down, leaving a trail of blood in his wake."  
"I agree. However Monsieur Gabrielle will soon be sailing for his fortress on Jersey and I only have one ship at my disposal, and despite the _Aquila_ having a capable captain, we cannot take on three of Gabrielle's ships, along with his fort. And as for Monsieur Carroll, we have no way of knowing where he has set sail."  
"The _Aquila_? That was an Assassin ship; it brought the end of many a Templar in the colonies. How did you come by it?"  
"Connor Kenway captain's it now."  
"I see," he smiled, the same cocky one as before, "however you no longer have only one ship "I happen to have a vessel of my own."  
"That would be most helpful," I nodded, finally we had a chance to be rid of Gabrielle, "So what's our move?"  
"If we hurry we may be able to catch them before they escape our grasp. I'll send word ahead to my crew to make the ship ready so we can hunt down Gabrielle and get the location of William Carroll."  
"I'll meet you in Dover with my allies," I said and rose to my feet, "Connor Kenway himself is a fine captain and between our two forces we will crush Gabrielle."  
"You had better go now then, we will need to be underway to Dover within the hour if we are to have any chance of catching them."  
"I just pray we have luck on our side."  
"I believe that we make our own luck."  
"A good belief," I replied with a nod and left to find Élise and Connor.

vi

We rode hard, nearly pushing our horses to breaking point, but it paid off. We reached Dover two hours before dawn, or thereabouts, and pushed on to the docks. Before us floated Shay Cormac's brig, or as the crew called it, a sloop 'o war, the _Morrigan_. The vessel was a sinister grey and its large blood red sails were about to be unfurled as we arrived. It had the full bearings of a ship primed for combat. Beside the _Morrigan_ sat the _Aquila_ , Connor's own war ship. It stood slightly larger than Shay's vessel and was painted in black and a cream colour similar to that of his robes, the sails being of plain white canvas. I couldn't help but smile at the irony, both these ships had plagued the Americas over the last hundred years, one hunting Templars, the other, Assassins. Now they would be going into battle side by side.  
We boarded with haste, myself and Élise joining Shay on board the _Morrigan_. And then we were under way, the two ships unfurling their sails, our speed picked up and we were on the hunt.

An hour later the lights from James Gabrielle's ship came into sight. It was an English frigate, a powerhouse. And it was not alone. Two smaller ships crashed through the waves beside our target, both of them were brigs, much like our own. I stood on the foredeck of the _Morrigan_ , staring out through the darkness, across the waters, where my gaze sat on Mercer's small force. My pulse quickened, we were gaining on the enemy vessel. We were gaining fast. Shay Cormac was truly a brilliant captain, finding the fasted way through the wild waves that crashed about us. All the lanterns on our ship were extinguished so that our enemy wouldn't know we were there until we were upon them. Somewhere out to the starboard side of the _Morrigan_ sped the _Aquila_ , ready to spring our trap on Mercer, likewise with its lights extinguished. We planned to come up on the trio of ships from either side and unload everything we had before they had even spotted us. Élise stood by my side, one hand grasping the railing with a fierce gleam in her eyes. It was good to be back on the hunt, with an opponent that we didn't need to hide in the shadows to find. I glanced back at the wheel where Shay steered us towards our prize, his eyes staring out towards the three well lit ships before us. They were being careless; clearly they didn't expect a pursuit.  
I turned to Élise with a smile, "Soon this will all be over."  
"And we will be able to return home, with a chance of a new future," she replied, "It is hard to believe isn't it? One final fight and then we can return home... Even the word sounds foreign to me now"  
"It will be strange indeed to live without having to keep looking over our shoulders," I replied, flashing her a cocky grin, "It will be a nice change."  
Élise gave me a beautiful smile and gave me a quick kiss. I grinned back at her, drawn in by her gaze.  
"You know," she started with a quiet smile, "before my induction to the Order all those years ago, my father told me that you were born with certain gifts."  
I chuckled, "Gifts?"  
"Yes," she continued, "I thought at the time that those gifts would help you to become the man that would unite the two orders."  
"I see," I said thoughtfully, curious, "and what do you believe now?"  
"I don't believe that it is your gifts that will make you capable of it as such… I look at you now and see the man that you have become; I see the path you have forged for yourself, Arno. Not only are you a warrior, you are an Assassin who was raised by Templars. If anyone is capable of bringing peace and ending the war, it is you."  
"You truly believe that I can do it? That I can be the one that could unite the two creeds under one banner?"  
"I do," she nodded seriously, her eyes sparkling, she really had this much faith in me? My heart swelled.  
"When we return to France, I will do all that is within my power to bring a new age to the Assassins and the Templars."  
"You will be the one to stop the bloodshed that has lasted generations, I am sure of it."  
How could she do this? Élise could make me feel capable enough to achieve anything.  
"One last fight, Élise, and then together we will bring about an era of peace for Assassin and Templar alike."  
She smiled into my eyes, her own burning with hope. I held her close, her head resting in the crook of my neck. I closed my eyes; this was what peace felt like. And then she pulled away and looked into my eyes again,  
"Please be careful when we make our attack."  
"Aren't I always?"  
"Arno, I'm serious," she replied, and I could see the worry in her eyes, "I don't want anything to happen to you."  
"I'll be alright," I told her, placing my hands on her sides, "and I have you to protect me."  
"I know, it's just… We are so close to finishing everything Arno, and finally being able to live with a measure of peace. I couldn't bear if anything were to happen to you because of something I did over five years ago."  
"I'll stay by your side," I promised her, "Together nothing can defeat us."  
We shared another brief kiss and then turned our gaze to the ships drawing ever closer. I glanced at Élise and saw the concentration on her face, she was preparing herself for the final confrontation.  
"Sir," came a whisper and I turned to see one of Shay's men striding towards me, "the Captain wants a word."  
"Of course," I nodded my thanks and headed back to the wheel with Élise by my side.

I swiftly strode up to the wheel and stood with Shay as he gazed towards Gabrielle's ship. Was it sadness in his eyes, or regret? I couldn't tell. Gabrielle had been his protégé a long time ago, and now fate had forced Shay's hand, sending him to kill the boy he had trained. It must have been hard, especially after everything Shay had lost in his life.  
"We should be upon them soon," he whispered, "With any luck we will be able to take them before they reach Jersey."  
Shay indicated a light in the distance. Aha, so that was where James Gabrielle's fort was.  
"And hopefully before dawn breaks and reveals our position," I replied with a nod, "That would complicate matters."  
Shay returned my nod, before glancing back at the small fleet of hips ahead of us. We had gained swiftly, now we were no more than six ship lengths behind them. It was nearly time.  
"Tell the men to ready themselves," Shay whispered, "and make sure that none of them bloody talk and give us away."  
I dipped my head, showing that I understood and then flicked my hood over my head again, before scurrying down to the deck below to pass on the message. About me pistols were primed and the men carried grim but excited expression, they were finally going back into action. The hatches were lifted and the cannons loaded, ready to fire at the first signal. We were ready. 

vii

The darkness of night shrouded the _Morrigan_ , giving us complete cover as we slowly drew up alongside Monsieur Gabrielle's small fleet. We watched in silence as Shay steered our ship on a parallel course to that of the enemy vessels, and then we were beside the far left ship. It was time.  
I gazed out across the small gap between our two brigs, and to my astonishment noticed not one man on watch on deck of the enemy ship. Gabrielle's men must have thought themselves safe indeed to be this stupidly careless. I watched, silently, waiting for the order to fire. And then one of Gabrielle's men walked up to the railing to take a piss. I couldn't help but grin as he fiddled with the buttons of his breeches without a care in the world. And then he saw us and his mouth dropped open, it must have been the dull light that was coming from the horizon that had given us away. He whipped around to face the decks and screamed, "We're under attack!"  
But it was far too late, and then Shay gave the order to open fire.  
Our first broadside was shot from close range and the cannon shot tore through the enemy ship. Fragments of wood flew through the air as our volley raked the ship's side brutally. And then the screams came. Screams from the men who had been below decks where our attack had ravaged the vessel.  
I heard cannons boom from the far side of Gabrielle's force, Connor had begun his attack.  
"Don't stop to board!" I shouted to Shay, pointing to Gabrielle's flagship as it sped up, unfurling all its sails, to escape our trap, "We need to take Gabrielle before he escapes."  
"No boarding," Shay called down to his crew with a savage grin, "We'll send them down to the bottom instead."  
The crew cheered, bringing their muskets and pistols to bear on the men running for cover on the decks of their own ship, or what was left of it anyway. I grabbed a nearby musket and looked around for a target. Aha, I spotted a man, the captain obviously, trying to rally his men and at the same time swing his ship away from us, a last desperate attempt to save his ruined vessel. I aimed along the sights and pulled the trigger. The gun kicked back, roaring as it belched fire, sending the shot on its way. And the captain toppled to the decks with a cry of pain, a bloody hole in his chest. Now leaderless, the enemy crew dashed around the deck in disarray, where they were picked off easily by the men of the _Morrigan_.  
And then our second broadside hit. The cannons boomed, smashing gaping holes in the brig as if it were nothing. And then the enemy ship was slowing and we pulled ahead. The men about me cheered as the brig slowly capsized and was swallowed by the murky waters and sent down to the depths. The sun was rising quickly now and I could easily make out the destruction we had wrought on our enemy. The brig had been all but destroyed and the water about the battle was covered in wreckage. It had gone well; I thought as we pulled away from the flotsam, we hadn't taken one casualty. But then of course, they day was young.  
I glanced over and saw that the same fate had befallen Gabrielle's second brig. The _Aquila_ was now pulling ahead of her sinking prey and coming up on our starboard side. Connor sent me a wave and I replied in kind, with men of both vessels cheering the victory, our plan had been a complete success. So far at least. I grinned at Élise, who returned a mischievous smile.  
"That went well," she said with a light in her eyes as she reached out and touched my arm. How was it possible for someone to me feel so happy, even in the midst of a battle?  
"Well it was my brilliant plan, after all," I joked with a chuckle, earning a playful smack.  
We laughed together for a few moments and for an instant it was just the two us, the chaos about us forgotten. Her laugh was beautiful; her playful smile melted my heart.  
And then the seriousness of the hunt returned and the moment ended as suddenly as it had begun, our two ships were chasing Gabrielle's speeding frigate as it made course for Jersey, now clearly ahead of us.  
"Fire the chase guns!" roared Shay, spinning the wheel hard to starboard.  
Men sprinted to the front of the ship and loaded the chase guns, a set of four smaller cannons that were used to target a fleeing ship. The cannons boomed, unleashing their shot upon the rear of Gabrielle's frigate in the hopes of slowing it down. Wood splinters erupted as the shot smashed into our fleeing enemy, but the frigate hardly slowed under the onslaught, before it once again picked up speed and sped out of range of the chase guns. Damn it.  
Could we catch Monsieur Gabrielle's ship before it reached the fortress that was now in sight?

As it turns out we didn't catch Gabrielle, the frigate was simply too fast. And we could only watch in dismay as the ship pulled further and further ahead before it finally docked by the fort and the men on board streamed over the sides of their ship and through the open gates, into the protective cove of the grey stone walls of the naval fortress.  
The fort was only small and sat right above the small cliffs overlooking the bay before us. A wide staircase lead from the fort's docks up to the structure itself, and as I watched the large gates slowly swung shut behind the last of Gabrielle's men. The _Aquila_ pulled up beside us and ramps were placed between the two ships as we dropped anchor and waited for Connor to join us on deck. It was time to form a final plan to take down Gabrielle, and we had him trapped now, the only problem was that his fort had a naval battery of at least thirty cannons. It didn't look good for us.

"I have an idea," began Shay when Connor had joined us on board the _Morrigan_.  
"Go on," prompted Connor with a quiet smile and gestured for him to continue.  
How could we get to Gabrielle without being blown to pieces? I soon had my answer.  
"He won't expect us to attack a naval fortress with ships, so I suggest a bold strategy," Shay indicated down to the prow of the _Morrigan_ , where two short but wide upwards-facing cannons stood, Monsieur Cormac had a set of the feared mortar cannons that had become popular on larger ships, "I happen to have a set of mortars, and with these we should be able to smash through Mr Gabrielle's nasty little battery there."  
"Aye, but to get clean shots you would need to come within range of those cannons," cut in Connor, gesturing towards the battery, "The _Aquila_ , has sixty guns on board, so I will draw the brunt of the fire towards my own ship and unload everything I have on the battery, while you target the gatehouse and walls with your mortars."  
Shay was nodding thoughtfully now, "Between our two ships we should have more than enough fire power to level the fort's defenses and make our attack on land."  
I felt a surge of respect for the American Grand Master, he was putting himself in great danger, risking his life and those of his men so that we had a chance to beach the fortress and at taking down Gabrielle.  
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" said Élise gravely, waving a hand towards the cannon battery, "you could get cut to pieces by those."  
"It's our only chance," Connor replied earnestly, his brow furrowed in concentration, "I have to try."  
That was it then, there was no dissuading him.  
"Good luck," I told Connor as I clasped his hand, "Though, I am sure that you will not need it."  
"Godspeed Kenway," grinned Shay as he shook his head and took Connor's hand, "You are even more mad than your father was."  
"I'll see you in the fort," replied Connor giving a hint of a smile, before nodding to Élise.  
"It's time to finish this," she called, returning his nod. 

viii

I watched as the _Aquila_ pulled ahead of us, and sped towards Gabrielle's fort, the crew roaring defiance. Connor turned his ship as it came within range of the naval battery and then fully unfurled the sails. The _Aquila_ shot forwards with a new burst of speed as the cannons from the fort boomed. I prayed that the shot would miss. And it did, Connor's masterful maneuver had taken his ship out of the way of the broadside, and the steel cannon balls splashed harmlessly into the water behind the _Aquila_. And then Connor returned fire on his stationary target. Flames belched from the thirty cannons along the port side of the _Aquila_ , and nearly every shot found its mark, raking the naval battery with steel shot. Dust erupted along fortress walls as fragments of stone were thrown in every direction. Screams came from the battery and when the last of the dust had settled, over half of Gabrielle's cannons had been destroyed, and a gaping hole had been blown in the battery defenses. We cheered and the men of the _Morrigan_ began to chant,  
"KENWAY! KENWAY! KENWAY!"  
With a grin I took up the cry, steel rang as I drew my sword and punched it above my head.  
"KENWAY! KENWAY! KENWAY!"  
The crews blood was up and I could see them, waiting for the order to be underway with anticipation.  
And then Shay spurred the _Morrigan_ into action. The blood red sails came down and we sped towards our target as Connor daringly closed on the fort, before turning at the last instant, once again avoiding the shot fired from the fortress. I watched as two of Shay's men carefully loaded the huge mortar cannons and took aim at the gatehouse.  
"Steady boys," called Shay, "steady..."  
I glanced at our captain as we came closer and closer to Gabrielle's position, waiting for the order to fire. Come on, come on...  
"FIRE!"  
The mortars boomed and the _Morrigan_ shook from the kickback of the cannons and the decks were shrouded in an eerie grey smoke. I gazed out towards the fort as the smoke cleared, and then the mortar shot crashed down on the gatehouse. It was ten times as devastating as a broadside from directly alongside your target. One moment the gatehouse was there, and the next it was simply gone in a cloud of dust... along with most of the frontal wall of the naval fort. Chunks of stone were blasted into the air where they seemed to hang for a few moments, before crashing back down. Many smashed into the staircase leading to the fort while many more had disappeared into the murky depths of the ocean about us. I wondered how many people had been killed in the blast. I didn't want to guess.  
Smoke covered Connor's ship as once again he fired on the naval battery, and this time all the remaining cannons were destroyed by the volley. Now nothing stood between us and the fortress.  
Savage cries of victory came from the men of the _Morrigan_ , and I joined them wholeheartedly. We had a way in.

With battle cries fresh on our lips, we leapt from our ships onto the sandy beach and docks before the fortress, nothing could stop us now. With their defenses newly laid bare, Gabrielle's men charged out from behind the walls towards us, screaming their defiance as we made our attack. With Élise, Connor and Shay by my side I sprinted up towards the fortress and with a snarl, drew my sword in a fluid motion. My companions drew their assortment of weapons and then we were amongst Gabrielle's men in a roar and clash of steel. The man before me leapt down the stairs and threw himself at me with a vicious snarl. I stepped to the side and slashed my sword upwards, catching his exposed stomach as he flew passed me. I heard him crash to the ground behind me and blood covered my sword. I didn't stop to look back and continued charging up the stairs towards the fort. Another of Gabrielle's men charged me and I took his life with my hidden blade. The four of us worked together well, and we sent dozens of Gabrielle's men to the grave. I took a brief moment to admire Shay's skill, even in his early sixties he moved with the speed and grace of a man half his age, his sword and dagger blurs of steel around him. The men who charged to meet us found only death as one by one we slaughtered them. Shay blocked a blow aimed at my side with his parrying dagger and I filleted the man where he stood. I sprinted into a gap in the enemy force, smashed my sword guard into a soldier's head and as he collapsed at my feet, I ran at the rocky side of the staircase, leapt up onto the rocks, before deflecting a blow with my sword. I flipped sideways off the rocks as another soldier aimed a swing at my ankles. I landed beside him and while a look of surprise covered his face I shoved my sword into his gut. I quickly glanced around the fight and saw Élise swiftly dispatch two opponents, while Connor and Shay took down yet more. The four of us made a perfect team and we fought together well. We had outdistanced both the men of the _Aquila_ and those of the _Morrigan,_ and now we stood alone facing a group of twenty of Gabrielle's men. Our force was further down the stairs engaging another force of Gabrielle's men, there would be no help from that quarter. We wouldn't need it anyway, I thought with a cocky grin. The four of us shared a look before charging towards the larger force with battle cries upon our lips.  
I leapt at a gap and forced my way into the group of soldiers, my sword and hidden blade creating a whirlwind of steel about me as I wove in to the fight. I took down three men like they were nothing and as I had a moment to look about I saw that my companions had likewise forced their way into the fight and were quickly taking down their enemies. With a roar I attacked with a renewed vigor and sliced my way through two more men, sending them crashing down to the cold stone of the stairs. And then the four of us were through, with no more opposition between us at the destroyed gatehouse of the fort.

We sprinted through the ruins of what had previously been the gatehouse and into the first sanctum of the fort. We had barely a moment to take in our surroundings before more men streamed towards us. With a roar I changed four of them. I easily deflected the first soldier's blow before slicing him from hip to shoulder with a slash. As he crashed to the ground in a bloody heap, I ducked a wild swing from the second man before thrusting my sword home into his stomach. I spun back around, wrenching my sword free and meeting the attack of the next soldier. I blocked his sword with my own, and sent it to the ground. With his defense out of the way, I sliced my hidden blade across his now exposed throat and blood splashed on my face as he fell with a gurgle. I whipped around to my last opponent, deflected his hasty attack with my sword and smashed my left fist into his face. As he stumbled back in pain I followed the blow up with my sword guard and he toppled over, out like a light.  
And then the four of us were back to back, breathing heavily from the fight. More of Gabrielle's men charged us from every direction, they seemed to come out from everywhere, was there no end to them?  
The first man to reach me swung at my neck, a fast blow, intended for a quick kill. But I was faster.  
I reacted instantly, ducking as the blade whistled over my head, I shot up within his reach now and shoved my hidden blade between his ribs, straight to his heart. I span and saw a soldier coming up on Élise's blind side, his sword raised. I moved like lightning, bounding towards him my sword whipping around. By the time he noticed me it was too late and my sword had stopped his blow and opened his throat. Seconds later Élise returned the favour by bringing down a man leaping towards my back, and we shared a brief smile as the men crashed to the ground, before entering the fray again. We moved like demons, every man to reach our small group fell before our blades and soon there was a large ring of bodies about us, and still more of Gabrielle's soldiers attacked. How many of them were there? I swore, there had to be an end.  
And then as the ring of steel around us was about to attack again shouts came from the entrance and our men streamed into the fort and engaged our enemies. We carved a bloody path through the soldiers until we reached the far end of the courtyard and took a moment to breath,  
"We need to get to Gabrielle before he escapes," I panted, "we cannot afford to wait for our men to catch up or it may be too late."  
My companions nodded, we had to leave the fight to our men so that we could take down Gabrielle.  
"I won't leave my men," stated Connor with a frown, "and someone will need to take charge here."  
"I'll stay back with you," added Shay grinning, "there are a lot of the bastards, after all. We will join you after we smash through the gates to the inner sanctum."  
"Alright," replied Élise, before nodding to me, "we'll take down Gabrielle ourselves."  
"You had best go then," said Shay, slapping Connor's shoulder, "good luck."  
And then the pair were gone, lost in the fighting once more.  
"Let's go," said Élise with a cocky smile, and I followed her at a run.

iix

We reached stairs leading up onto the wall and sprinted up them. A few men still stood on the walls but we quickly dispatched them. I ran to the tower overlooking the bay and reached the door. "It's barred from the inside, and we need it to get to the inner sanctum where Gabrielle will no doubt be."  
"We need it, yes," replied Élise thoughtfully, looking up to the top of the small tower, "but we don't need to go inside it to get through."  
I grinned at her, truly Élise was brilliant. I sheathed my sword and started the climb up the stone wall of the building. Élise followed and because of our training, we reached the top within moments and crouched behind the fortifications overlooking the inner sanctum, where sure enough, there stood James Gabrielle with a small cadre of soldiers. He was arguing with one of his officers and even from this distance I could see the he was furious.  
"We can't hold them sir," the officer was saying.  
"You can and you will."  
"They are lead by devils, Captain," he shook his head in dismay, "four of them took the outer sanctum almost singlehandedly, and cut down many of our best men like they were nothing. We cannot stop them."  
Gabrielle shot the man a withering look and spat at his feet with a snarl, "You are relieved of duty."  
And with that he plunged his blade into the officer's chest. He fell to the ground in front of his former commander with blood pooling around him and a look of surprise on his face.  
"The bastard," swore Élise from beside me, "does he have no honour?"  
"Apparently not…" I replied, glancing down on the scene beneath us, "he has six men with him, and probably more nearby."  
"Come on, we can take them."  
"Together," I replied and entwined my fingers with hers briefly, "let's finish this."

We dropped from the small tower silently and plunged down towards the soldiers beneath us. My target gave a shout of surprise as he saw me, but then my sword sliced across his exposed chest. I landed in a crouch and didn't stop to think, leaping to my feet and continuing my attack by plunging my hidden blade into another of Gabrielle's men. I spun to my final opponent who finally reacted, lunging towards me, his sword outstretched. I easily deflected the blow with my wrist blade, before opening his throat with my own sword. He crashed to the ground in a spray of blood just as Élise dispatched her final foe with a flick of her sword. We shared a brief glance before turning to Gabrielle. He was alone.  
And he had a smug look on his face.  
And then realization hit me, it was a trap.  
"KILL THEM!" he bellowed, leveling his sword towards us.  
The keep doors boomed open and dozens of James Gabrielle's men streamed out of the passage towards us, screaming battle cries.  
My instincts kicked in as I ran towards them, my sword and hidden blade becoming extensions of my arms. This had to end. No matter the cost, I could not let Élise come to harm. I parried a blow aimed to decapitate me and then slashed my sword across my attacker's torso. I spun away and opened another man's throat. Continuing my spin I blocked a wild sword stroke and plunged my hidden blade into the soldier's heart. Men fell all about me, I was a demon.  
I looked toward Élise and saw her surrounded by six soldiers, and with a roar I charged them. Two were dead before they realized I was amongst them and I cut down a third in a matter of moments. Élise used the distraction to eliminate the final three men and grinned as we stood back to back, swords at the ready.  
"Just in time," she said, with a self confident chuckle.  
I grinned and chuckled myself, shaking my head, she really was insane… How I loved her. We would have been surrounded by at least two dozen soldiers and yet at that moment, I did not care.  
"After we finish this," I began with my trademark cocky smile, "we should really do something about the engagement shouldn't we?"  
"Just don't make me wear a dress at the ceremony."  
I felt myself grin and suddenly two dozen opponents didn't seem like too many to face, with Élise by my side it may as well have been one hundred, it did not matter.  
And then James Gabrielle pushed his way through the ring of his men and faced me, "So, you have finally come to meet your end, Assassin."  
"I have come to take your life," I returned his arrogant smirk.  
"Best of luck," he chuckled, "you have been a thorn in my side for far too long Mr Dorian, no longer."  
I glanced around at the ring of steel that surrounded us, "it is not too late to surrender, Monsieur."  
James Gabrielle laughed, "Know that I have come to respect you, Assassin, I will take no pleasure in this."  
"Let's finish this then, you and me," I looked into his eyes, "no one else has to die."  
"I'm almost tempted, but you have cost me dearly."  
"What are you waiting for then," I spat angrily, "fight me or die where you stand."  
"You Assassins need to learn, there is no place in the world for you anymore," was his only reply, and gestured for his men to form a ring about us, "the Assassin in mine, take the girl, I want her alive."  
Anger filled me. I wasn't going to let this bastard so much as touch one hair on Élise's head.  
And with a roar I charged my enemy.

A new strength filled my bones, if I didn't kill James Gabrielle now, then he would capture Élise and give her a life worse than hell. That was something that I could not allow. Steel rang as our blades clashed together again and again. I fought for all I was worth, every blow filled with my will power. I narrowly avoided a lunge but took a cut to my left shoulder. I shoved the pain down and renewed my attack. Nothing was working, no matter how hard I fought I simply couldn't get through his defense. But this time he was finding it hard to get through mine. This time however, we were almost even, my will for Élise to live added speed to my attack and strength to my defense. And then it came to me, one of Bellec's teachings, "Remember Pisspot, a fight isn't all about honour and the damned code. What matters is that you survive."  
In the moment I damned fighting honourably like I had in our first encounter.

He came at me with a downwards angling slash and I did the most unlike swordsman thing I could think of. I blocked the blow overhead, holding my sword with two hands, instead of deflecting it. The swords clashed together and held. The blow jarred my wrists and locked my elbows and then with a grunt I leaned back and delivered a devastating high kick to Monsieur Gabrielle's chest. He stumbled backwards with a grunt and in that instant I lunged forwards, sword aimed at his throat. With barely a hairs breadth to spare he knocked my blow to the side where it caught his right cheek. Surprise covered his face as he stepped back and touched his bloody wound with his spare hand. Blood streamed out of the cut and ran down his chin.  
"You will die for that, Assassin." He bellowed with rage.  
I didn't waste my breath on one of my usual cocky remarks and instead pressed my small advantage. I could hear the clash of steel beside our own fight; Élise was taking on Gabrielle's men, despite the overwhelming odds. I came at James Gabrielle like lightning, every blow faster than the last. I was pushing him back. I deflected his sword to the side and in the same move sent a punch to his freshly bloodied cheek. He roared with outrage and came at me with more vigor. And then he drew his knife and suddenly he was the one on the attack.

I defended desperately as he came into his usual flow. My hidden blade was a blur as it countered his knife, but I was tiring faster than he was, and I had just fought a battle, while he hadn't. He deflected my sword away from my body, managed to lock my hidden blade against my side with his knife and then hammered his sword guard into my chin. However, this time I was ready, and rocked back with the blow, and as his blade swept passed, smashed my own sword guard into his chin. He staggered back under the blow and then spat out a glob of dark blood. He looked at me with hate in his eyes and came at me with a blindingly fast attack. He dropped his knife as our swords met, grabbed my sword arm with his left and then twisted, throwing me over his shoulder to the ground. I lost grip on my sword and it flew from my grasp. I rose to my knees and he stood before me, anger written all over his face and his sword tip at my neck. 

ix

"In what world could you have ever beaten me?'  
Two of Gabrielle's men grabbed my shoulders and held me down in my kneeling position.  
I looked over at Élise, my head ringing… No… She was unarmed, her arms pinned behind her back by two of Gabrielle's men as they forced her to her knees. She struggled in their grasp and fought them, but to no avail. I felt my heart break, I had failed.  
"Before you die, know that your little girl over there will be broken before the sun is down."  
"You bastard," I spat a glob of blood at his feet. I had to think of something.  
"You are nothing to me, Assassin."  
I glanced passed Monsieur Gabrielle and looked at Élise, our eyes meeting. I saw tears appear in her eyes, and my own began to moisten, we had been so damn close.  
"Arno, I love you," she called to me sadly.  
"Silence!" roared one of her captors and cracked the back of his hand across her cheek.  
She glared defiantly up at him, "I'm going to enjoy killing you."  
He raised his hand to strike her again.  
"Enough!" roared Gabrielle, halting the blow.  
"Sir," called one of his men, gesturing towards the barred gate, "They are almost upon us, if we are to leave then it must be now."  
Gabrielle swore viciously, "get to the boats; we'll fall back to Mont de la Ville."  
"We don't have room for prisoners sir."  
"Then we take none."  
"Running away," I spat, I no longer cared for my own life, "you coward."  
"Who do you think you are? I am the greatest swordsman in Europe, while you are little more than a peasant. Who are you to dare challenge me?" his sword nicked my neck and I felt a tendril of blood run down my throat, he gestured to Élise, "Kill her."  
Anger filled my heart as he ordered the death of the woman I loved. No matter what happened, I was not going to let James Gabrielle win so that he could kill Élise. One of Gabrielle's men nodded to the two soldiers holding Élise and they stilled her struggles, savagely pushing her to the ground. The third man drew his pistol and primed it, leveling it at her head. I had made my decision.  
He smirked and drove his blade towards my exposed throat.  
And the sound of a pistol firing echoed around the courtyard.

And then Élise's attacker collapsed to the ground and I saw Shay on the battlements with Connor by his side, a pistol smoking in his hands. Gabrielle's attack halted as he looked up in shock, shock that his former mentor was here for his blood. Shay and Connor leapt down into the sanctum as the gates exploded inwards, with a blast that could only have been caused by barrels of gun powder, and the men of the _Aquila_ and the Morrigan streamed inside, roaring as they engaged Gabrielle's men. I glimpsed Élise tearing out of the grasp of her two captors, sending her elbow into one of her attacker's groins and giving the second a right hook to the face. As my attack was distracted by the sight of Shay cutting through his men, I leapt to my feet and knocked the men holding me to the ground, Gabrielle swore and stabbed his sword towards me, it was too late to escape, but he still had time to kill me it appeared. I closed my eyes and steeled my nerves.

And then I caught the blade with my hands. Surprise covered monsieur Gabrielle's face. I felt the sword bite through my gloves and into the soft skin beneath. He pushed harder but I held on and rose to my feet. The pain was excruciating and blood started to soak through my gloves and drip from my hands, but this bastard had ordered the death of the woman I loved. He had to die. I ignored the pain and looked James Gabrielle in the eyes as shock flew across them.  
"Who am I?" I said forcefully, "My name is Arno Dorian, my father was Charles Dorian. I am a Master of the Assassin brotherhood and like all before me I fight for the freedom and liberty of others," I was at full height now and looking Gabrielle directly in the eyes, "I have known great love and loss, I have seen things that you wouldn't even believe possible. I have seen great men fall; I have seen a woman who has lost her home, her family and everything of value rise from the ashes and take her revenge. I have learnt that despite everything I have gone through, everything that I have suffered over the years, that my past has forged me into a warrior. Who am I?"  
I glared into his shocked eyes with blood dripping from my hands.  
"I am an Assassin."  
And with that I kicked him in the stomach and he dropped his sword with an outraged bellow. I let it fall to the ground with a clatter before following up my kick with a right hook. He stumbled backwards and I pressed forwards, sending a blinding left uppercut his way. It sent him flying into one of the walls of the fort. The thought that if I didn't kill Gabrielle now, then he would most certainly go after Élise added strength to my blows and dulled the pain in my blood soaked hands. He crashed to the ground with a groan before staggering to his feet. I sent two lightning fast jabs to his exposed stomach, remembering how he had insulted Élise. He blocked a punch and lashed out with his own. Thank God for my time spent brawling in taverns during my youth. I easily blocked the blow and sent him back into the wall with a left hook. And then I took a step up the wall beside him, spun in mid air and smashed my right foot across his face. Blood erupted from his nose as it broke and he collapsed to the ground with a grunt. He tried to rise but failed, he was done. He flopped onto his back and looked up at me with an emptiness in his gaze, this was the first time he had ever been defeated. It was as if by defeating him I had somehow broken the man. Élise, Shay and Connor appeared at my side and glared down at the fallen Templar.  
"The battle is over," said Shay simply as the last of Gabrielle's men fell beneath the onslaught.  
I sent him a sidelong smile before returning my gaze to my fallen enemy.  
"I told you that I would have your life, Monsieur," I told Gabrielle.  
Blood dribbled down his chin and he coughed, "Get it over with, Assassin, I do not fear death."  
"You ordered the death of the woman I love," I told him quietly, "I could give you a painless death here and now or I could take you back to England and leave you at the mercy of the redcoats, to pay for your crimes, or you could tell me the whereabouts of your master. No doubt he would have told you of his plans if the trap failed."  
He sighed and looked at me with a hopeless expression, no doubt thinking of the punishment he would receive for killing so many of the British soldiers, it would be worse than hell. "Fine… He is headed for the New York. He hopes to reestablish our order in the Americas."  
I nodded, it made sense, especially now that Connor was currently in England and away from his Brotherhood.  
"I'm not sorry for what I have done, Assassin," said Monsieur Gabrielle angrily, "Everything that I have done has been for all mankind."  
"Then you are as blind as you are cowardly," I replied, "you preach about saving mankind and yet you slaughter innocents like it is nothing."  
"What lead you into this madness, James," asked Shay sadly, "what made you turn away from the boy I trained?"  
"I found the truth," Gabrielle spat, "this peace between the two orders is a lie, yes there may be a truce for a time, but it will not last. The Templars are destined to fight the Assassins for eternity, why can't you see it?"  
"You are wrong, Monsieur," I told him.  
"Then you are the one who is blind."  
I ignored the blood streaming from the palms of my hands and activated my hidden blade with a snick.  
"James Gabrielle, you are a murderer without honour, a traitor to your Order and for that I sentence you to death," I knelt beside him, "Repose en paix"  
And with that I stabbed my hidden blade into his heart. It was over.

22 October 1794

i

We had been on board the _Morrigan_ for over two months now, when finally the call that land had been sighted came from the crows nest. After two long, cramped months we had almost reached America. Finally after two damn months on board the _Morrigan,_ the end was within sight. I glanced with a frown once more at my heavily bandaged hands, it would be a while yet before I could grasp a sword. At least I still had my hidden blade; the time to fight would be near at hand. Élise joined my side on the railing as I gazed across the ocean towards the landmass that was slowly edging into sight. So this was America, the very place that had had a revolution of its own not long ago.  
"We're finally here," I told her with a smile, gesturing towards the coastline.  
"Thank God," chuckled Élise, "I swear I was starting to lose my mind."   
I grinned, "Weren't we all…"  
"I see that the landlubbers are enjoying the prospect of leaving the sea," Shay called from behind us with a chuckle, "Although, I do not know why."  
"Well Monsieur," began Élise with a mischievous smile, "some of us prefer stable ground beneath our feet."  
"Trust me, after two months on board this beauty you will grow bored of land within a week and be praying to get back out to open sea."  
"I very much doubt that," I replied with a chuckle, "You didn't have to come with us you know."  
"Aye, but I promised that I would do everything within my power to bring about an end to the bloodshed, and this William Carroll seems to be the only one to want war."  
I nodded, "he cannot see that the Templars and the Assassins are both trying to bring about the same thing: a better world."  
"I have been a part of both Creeds and I can tell you now that the only reason that the Templars and Assassins are waging war is because of leaders who won't let the fighting end."  
"The only difference between the two orders," started Élise seriously, "Is that the Templars wish to guide mankind to a better future, one without fighting, while the Assassins want man to make that choice for themselves. Both just want a better future."  
I nodded, "As you said Shay, the only reason two groups that want peace are fighting is because of our leaders, but I can feel a change coming."

We docked in a small cove near to both Boston and New York. As Connor had said, he owned this land, including a large house just up the road from the inlet. The land had once belonged to Achilles Davenport, Shay told us, and had left it to Connor after his death years before.  
I couldn't help but grin as I jumped down from the _Morrigan_ and landed on dry land for the first time in months. No longer were we confined to the same wooden deck, the same four walls of a tiny cabin. I looked around the cove and glanced up at the cliffs that soared above us, this place was truly beautiful. Élise joined me and took my hand,  
"We're finally here," she laughed.  
"It is good to be back on dry land," I replied with a grin, "welcome to America."  
Connor strode down the ramp of the _Aquila_ and joined us with a smile. The Mentor seemed much more relaxed now that he was home, as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He must have been away for nearly five months, I thought, five months without seeing his family.  
"Welcome back, Connor," called a man as he made his way over to the Assassin, a woman by his side and a small boy clasping to woman's hand.  
Connor nodded to the couple, a smile playing across his lips, "Norris, Myriam, it's good to be home."  
"Connor!" grinned the boy as he detached his hand from his mother's and threw himself into Connor's arms.  
I grinned as Connor hugged the boy and looked to Élise with a smile.  
"Don't even think about it." She said, shaking her head.  
"The thought never crossed my mind," I replied with a chuckle.  
I promise that I hadn't been thinking about having children. Much.  
"Connor."  
I looked to see a dark skinned woman striding through the crowd. She would have been of African descent and wore a strange blade at her hip, and with a brace of pistols shoved in her belt.  
"Almost five months you've been gone."  
"I didn't-"  
"Five months." She interrupted, before her serious expression broke into a smile and she embraced Connor.  
"I'm sorry, Aveline…" he said smiling, "things became… complicated." Connor looked around and sadness filled his eyes, "where are they?"  
"Connor I'm sorry… She left…"  
"And my children?"  
"She took them as well," came Aveline's sad reply, "I heard rumours that they may have gone to England."  
"No," Connor looked his lieutenant in the eyes, reading the unasked question, "let them go."  
I watched as Connor took a deep breath and then fully composed himself. From what I had just witnessed it appeared that the Assassin's wife had left him while he had been helping us in London, and has taken their children with her.  
I looked to Élise as they broke apart and caught her smiling at me. It was clear that Connor and Aveline were very close and had probably been through hell and back together. I smiled back at Élise and I couldn't imagine five months without seeing her. We quickly made our introductions to Aveline, and I could tell that she was a fiercely proud woman, someone who had seen much in her life and had forged her into a warrior. As Connor had once told me, she did carry herself with the same poise and dignity that Élise did, yes the two were much alike.  
Connor looked to me and the sadness left his eyes. He was hiding something, of that I was certain. "It's time to go home," he indicated for us to follow him and then lead us up the long path and to the Davenport homestead. 

ii

A few hours later, the five of us; Connor, Aveline, Élise, Shay and myself met again in one of the many rooms of the large house.  
"I need to go back to leading my Order," Connor told us when we had assembled in the homestead, "I'll task some of my men to look for any leads on your man, Carroll."  
"Alright," Élise replied, "between us and your Assassins we should be able to track down Monsieur Carroll, and hopefully soon."  
"I will use my contacts to help find who Mr Carroll is dealing with," added Aveline, "no doubt he will go to the wealthy first, and I happen to know a few members of that group."  
"And what of you?" I asked, turning to Shay, "you could be easily recognized if you went searching for information in the streets."  
"I know," nodded Shay, "that is why I will be taking the _Morrigan_ out and searching for our friend's base. It would have to be along the coastline somewhere, but if I find it, then we will know precisely where to find him."  
"A good plan," I nodded.  
"What of your hands?" inquired Élise, "can you use a blade yet?"  
"No…" I muttered, "The sword cut deeper than I thought it would, and it will be a while yet before I can hold one."  
"I may have something for you then," said Connor thoughtfully, before striding over to a set of draws and pulling a box from a hidden compartment. The Mentor placed the small chest on the table before him and opened the lid. A hidden blade lay in the compartment. I heard Shay let out a gasp beside me, as if he knew this particular weapon.  
"This was my father's hidden blade," Connor told me, "hold out your right arm."  
I did as he asked and moments later I wore a second blade, one on each wrist. I flexed my right arm and the blade erupted from its sheath. Connor had clearly looked after it well and it barely made a snick as I retracted the hidden blade.  
I shook my head, "I cannot accept this."  
"It is yours now," the American Grand Master told me with a nod, "and I'll hear no more about it."  
"You have my thanks, Mentor," I replied, "I will look after it."  
"I have no doubt you will," he chuckled, "Now let's go hunt this Englishman." 

21 November 1794

i

I shared a glance with Élise as we stood before a large wooden warehouse by the New York port.  
It had taken us nearly a month but finally one of Connor's Assassins brought us news that a weapons supplier by the name of John Hodgetts had just sold enough gun powder to level a village to a Mr William Carroll. I could feel my blood race as Connor brought me the report, finally we were getting somewhere with our investigations. And so we set up a meet with Monsieur Hodgetts to 'acquire some arms' as it were. And that is what had brought us to the warehouse by the New York docks.  
"Let's find out what this Mr Hodgetts has to say about our English friend," I said and strode towards the large wooden doors.  
Élise shivered with anticipation beside me, "this will be fun."  
And then we entered the warehouse.

"I was beginning to think that you weren't coming," John Hodgetts told me with a malevolent grin, "and I see that you brought a… charming friend."  
I ignored his tone as he glanced at Élise, I was used to it by now, the way men looked at her as she walked by. She had been dealing with it all her life and had learnt to easily brush it off.  
"So, what have you got for me?" I said, hiding my irritation as he finally looked back to me.  
"The finest weaponry that you will find on these shores; Spanish swords, English firearms," he grinned and indicated for me to follow him further into the warehouse.  
I saw him glance at my bandaged hands, "an accident?"  
"An incident," I replied, "soon to be put right."  
A wide assortment of muskets, pistols and swords adorned racks and benches. But it wasn't the weapons that drew my attention, John Hodgetts had brought company. Two huge bodyguards armed with swords stood by the weapons and watched me carefully. I doubted they were for anything more than show. I expected that Monsieur Hodgetts had brought them along to try and scare me, it failed in that regard.  
"May I?" I gestured towards a rack of muskets.  
"But of course."  
I picked up one of the weapons and pretended to examine it, meanwhile Élise sidled over to Mr Hodgetts and I saw her hand go behind her back to where her knife was sheathed. She sent me a nod, Élise was ready. She faked a stumble into Mr Hodgetts, before drawing her knife, kicking John's knees out from under him, and as he hit the floor Élise held the blade to his throat. At the same moment the guards gaze left me and went to their employer. I used the distraction to bring the musket up and smash it into the first man's chin. He toppled to the ground unconscious, and with a roar the second man charged me. To my surprise I felt no pain in my bandaged hands and in a few moments the second man was out like a light with a broken nose. I dropped the musket and strode to the kneeling Mr Hodgetts,  
"You had dealings with a William Carroll did you not?"  
"Y… Yes," he replied, squirming in Élise's grip.  
"Tell us, where did you deliver the gun powder?"  
"I can't tell you… He'll kill me."  
"You should be more worried about what we will do to you," Élise told him sternly and held the knife closer to his throat.  
The man wailed miserably, "I can't…"  
"This could get much, much worse," I told him and flicked out my new hidden blade. We weren't going to torture him, that wasn't our way, but he didn't know that. I stepped closer and brought my arm back, as if to strike.  
"Okay," he stammered, "I'll tell you."  
He took a breath to steady himself before giving us the directions to another warehouse within New York. That had been easy.  
"That wasn't so hard now, was it?" hissed Élise.  
I sheathed my blade with a snick and Élise let go of Monsieur Hodgetts and gave him a kick to the backside. As we turned to leave I heard a pistol being cocked.  
Without a second thought I threw myself to the ground and then heard two pistols go off. I heard the shot buzz over my head and slam into one of the warehouse supports, sending wood fragments flying. That had been far too close. Lucky Arno. I came to my feet and turned to see Mr Hodgetts with a smoking pistol in his hand and a bullet hole in his chest. Élise sent me a grin as he shoved her own gun into its holster.  
"What has the world come to when you cannot trust a weapons dealer?" she said sarcastically.  
I chuckled and together we left the warehouse and headed to where the gun powder had been delivered. 

ii

A few hours later, just as the sun was going down, we arrived at the warehouse that Mr Hodgetts had directed us too. From our vantage point from the roof of the building opposite I could make out that Monsieur Carroll wasn't leaving anything to chance. At least a dozen soldiers patrolled the outskirts of the warehouse. Clearly William Carroll had made some high ranking friends in the American military. How the hell were we going to get in?  
"Look there," whispered Élise from beside me, pointing towards part of the building that was obscured by shadows.  
I peered into the gloom. Aha, an open window, someone had been careless indeed. And then I saw the sniper hiding in the shadows of the window. This would be fun.  
"What are we waiting for?" I replied with a grin, and together we jogged along the rooftops, headed for our way in.  
I pushed myself into a sprint and leapt from the safety of the roof. I sailed across the gap and then landed with a roll on the warehouse roof. Élise landed beside me with a grunt and then we were standing directly above the window. I listened, and I heard the man below grunt as he stretched, before returning to his position. This was good; the gunman obviously hadn't heard us. I grabbed the edge of the roof and threw myself over the edge. I flipped around and pointed my legs towards the window. My fall was halted abruptly by my grip on the roof, and then I was hurtling towards the open window. The gunman had barely enough time to widen his eyes in shock before I crashed into him, my hidden blade finding his throat. I leapt to my feet as he died without a sound, expecting to hear footsteps as we were found out, but I heard nothing. I heaved a sigh of relief; it was all going to plan. Élise joined me through the window and indicated the dead man,  
"Nice work," she said with a sarcastic smile.  
I grinned back at her and then together we strode down the corridor, down a flight of stairs and into the warehouse itself.

Barrels upon barrels of gunpowder greeted us, countless amounts of them. I whistled at the sight of it, I had thought the amount of powder that Connor's man had told us had been exaggerated; and while it wouldn't destroy a village it had enough power to level the warehouse and most of the empty buildings around it.  
"Well this was… unexpected," muttered Élise with a frown.  
"Even Maximilien didn't have this much in his stores…"  
"Who?"  
"Oh, just the noble fool who was causing trouble not long after we took down Germain…" I told her quietly, still taking in the amount of gun powder.  
"Arno, there is enough here to equip an army. Our English friend must have something planned."  
"Your deaths to be precise."  
I glanced around to see a man striding towards us, a sword in his hands. I grimaced as he was joined by the soldiers who had previously been patrolling the warehouse.  
"How did you know we were here?" called Élise as she drew her sword.  
"There were reports of someone asking questions, the kind of questions that my employer doesn't like. His whereabouts to be exact, so we set this little trap for you."  
"Hodgetts was working for you when he told us to come here, wasn't he?"  
"That he was." The man smirked. Damn it, how had I not seen the trick?  
"Arno," whispered Élise, pointing her sword ever so slightly at the soldier on the far right. Anyone else would have missed the signal, but I knew Élise, I knew what she was thinking.  
I turned to the man in front of us, "I'm sorry Monsieur, but our deaths will have to be delayed."  
He roared with laughter, and then we charged.  
I flicked my wrists, snapping out my blades as we dashed towards our ambushers. Élise swung her sword and in moments she was running passed the corpse of her victim, and into the open.  
"Follow me!" she called as I engaged my target.  
I deflected his sword with my left blade and stabbed my right into his chest, and then I was sprinting after Élise through the warehouse.  
"GET THEM!" came the shout from behind us, and more soldiers poured into the warehouse.  
I took down three more men, my hidden blades now wet with blood. We reached the doors and Élise cut down two men who were meant to stop our escape. I could see more soldiers charging down the street towards us, we were trapped once again.  
And then she did it. The thing she had been planning all along.  
"RUN!" screamed Élise as she turned back to the warehouse, drew her pistol, and fired at the barrels of gun powder.  
Together we sprinted down the street.  
And then the warehouse exploded.  
I felt the heat on my back as we were tossed into the air and wood fragments buzzed all about me. I crashed to the ground with a groan and rolled across the cobblestones. I shook my head, trying to clear the whining noise coming from my ears, and then with a rush of noise my hearing came back. The warehouse was now laying in ruin, anyone who had been inside was without a doubt dead. I stumbled to my feet and saw Élise gazing back at the destruction that she had wrought.  
"Élise," I called, but she didn't hear. I reached out and touched her arm, "Élise."  
She looked back at me and nodded, around us the soldiers who had been coming to complete the trap were starting to rise to their feet. We had to leave.  
I glanced back at the warehouse and then together we ran from the destruction.

5 December 1794

i

It took us over two weeks before we were able to pick up the trail once more. Mr Carroll was on to us now and we had to be even more cautious. But finally the day came. One of Aveline's contacts had discovered that a man by the name of Jack Swanston worked for a Colonel Edmund Fitzpatrick as a soldier. And Colonel Edmund Fitzpatrick worked as William Carroll's advisor. She also found out that Mr Swanston frequented one of the many brothels within New York, what was a city without a pleasure house after all? And so I stood with Aveline, in the said brothel, and wondered if this was a good idea for the fiftieth time as Élise walked into the room wearing a green dress. A green dress that only a prostitute would wear, one without straps and with an obscenely low neckline.  
"I can hardly breathe in this thing," complained Élise with a pout.  
"There are many other ways we could get to Swanston," I said with a frown, "ones that don't involve dresses… and you pretending to be a prostitute."  
"Arno, I think that I can handle one man," she told me, rolling her eyes, "besides, I have this."  
Élise reached into the folds of her dress and drew her long knife.  
"Well you certainly look the part," chuckled Aveline, "there is one thing however."  
"Oh?" replied Élise as the older woman walked over to her and pulled the ribbon from Élise's hair.  
"There," nodded Aveline as Élise's fiery locks tumbled down her bare shoulders and back, "much better."  
I walked over to Élise and chuckled, "I kind of like it."  
"You like me looking like a cheap tart?"  
"That's not exactly what I meant."  
"I know," grinned Élise, before standing on her tip toes and giving me a kiss, "don't worry, I'll be fine. I have been dealing with male attention for most of my life after all."  
"Just be careful."  
"Arno," she must have seen the worry on my face, "I have to do this… and besides, you will be right in that wardrobe over there making sure that Monsieur Swanston doesn't try anything."  
I gave her another kiss, once more regretting this.  
"Go," Élise told me and gave me a playful shove towards where Aveline held the wardrobe door open for me.  
I glanced back at Élise and then joined Aveline in the wardrobe. I took a deep breath to clam my nerves, this was it.

We would have been standing silently in the cramped confines of the cupboard for nearly an hour when the door to the room opened with a creak and Élise walked in backwards, pulling Jack Swanston by the hand. My eyes narrowed as I took in Swanston's face. He was probably in his late thirties and his hair was thinning. He had the look of a self satisfied officer, come to the brothel to relieve himself. He gazed at Élise hungrily as she drew him into the room. I looked at Aveline but she shook her head at me. Not yet. I inwardly screamed at Élise to pull her knife, but she just shut the door and slowly made her way back to where Swanston stood.  
And then he grabbed Élise roughly by the shoulders and shoved her back against a wall. My blood boiled and I activated my hidden blade as he moved to kiss her and leapt out from the wardrobe without a care. But I was too late.  
Élise had smashed her knee into his groin when he had leaned down to kiss her, stopping his lips from touching her. And now he was the one shoved against the wall, Élise's knife pressed to his neck with one hand, the other holding him against the wall by his collar.  
Aveline joined me in the room and together we walked to where Swanston was now pinned to the wall.

"Where can we find Edmund Fitzpatrick?" hissed Élise, holding Monsieur Swanston's collar tighter.  
I strode to her side and glared down into Swanston's face as he tried to look away. I nodded to Aveline and she moved about the room, extinguishing the candles. Smoke spread around the room, and together with my beaked hood I would have looked like a man from Hell itself.  
"Speak," I snarled, holding my wrist blade up to his face so that he could see it clearly.  
"Kill me and you will never find him," stammered Mr Swanston desperately.  
And that was that, Jack Swanston was a coward. Not only that, he was a fool, a desperate one. He thought that our only threat was to kill him, he was wrong in that regard.  
"Yes, we cannot kill you," I told him with a smirk, before lowering my blade to his groin.  
I saw this expression turn from triumphant to pure terror.  
"Tell us," I hissed, putting all the venom in my words as I could, "where is Edmund Fitzpatrick?"  
He shook his head in fear. I pressed my blade into his thigh, just enough to draw a tendril of blood.  
"You will never again be able to use this establishment."  
The last of his confidence fled and I saw his breeches darken. I stepped back in disgust, "You coward."  
"This is your last warning," Élise told him darkly.  
"Okay, okay!" he shouted tearfully, "he frequents the port market at noon, you will find him there."  
"If you are lying, we will find you again, Monsieur." Élise told him with a glare, before letting him go, "and if you so much as breathe about this to anyone, you are a dead man."

True to Swanston's word, we found Mr Fitzpatrick striding through the bustling market by the New York docks. He walked side by side with another gentleman; no doubt he was another under the employ of William Carroll.  
"If we kill them, Mr Carroll will be on to us immediately," I said to Élise and Aveline as we watched the pair stride through the market, "wait here, I will find out what we need."  
"You're going alone, to what purpose?" asked Aveline with a frown.  
"We need information, and cannot risk a confrontation. One person is harder to spot than three so I will go and find out what they are talking about, and maybe the location of Monsieur Carroll."  
"It makes sense," nodded Élise.  
"With any luck we will have his location by the end of the day."  
"Alright," said Élise, "Stay out of trouble… Don't get caught."

I snuck up on the pair and turned my attention to their conversation as they weaved through the crowd. One bad move on my part and they would be on to me. I got closer and closer and then I could make out their conversation as clear as day.  
"The men won't be happy if we don't get paid by the Englishman soon," Fitzpatrick's companion muttered.  
"Aye, the bastard is making us wait a bloody long time for this 'reward for your services', as it were."  
They kept talking about small things for a while, until nearly an hour later they started to leave the market, and I followed.  
I tailed them for what seemed like an eternity until they shook hands.  
"Remember, Mr Carroll wants us at his assembly in the cove next week. Says he wants to rally the men, and show us the 'truth'." Fitzpatrick told his companion with exasperation.  
"This better be good my friend," replied the other man with a nod.  
They shook hands again and parted ways.  
Damn it, I had learnt nothing; expect that Mr Carroll was holding meeting with his men in a weeks time at the 'cove', which was no doubt his base of operation.  
Perhaps Connor knew of a hidden cove near the city. He was my best chance.

ii

The sun was setting when we arrived back at the homestead and met with Connor. We told the Grand Master about what we had discovered, and with a thoughtful expression Connor delved into his draws and pulled out a map of the area. We searched and searched, but to no avail, there were very few inlets and coves along the coastline, and from the ones that existed we had received no reports of any new vessels sailing in.  
"There has to be something," I muttered as I went over the map again, "he cannot just have vanished."  
"Arno," said Connor, "there is nothing here… Perhaps it is a hidden cove."  
"Or it just could be a name for any place," added Élise.  
I cursed inwardly at my stupidity, why had I not acted when I had been able too?  
"I should have just got to Monsieur Fitzpatrick when I had the chance."  
"No," said Aveline, shaking her head, "had you have done that, then Mr Carroll would have been on to us by now."  
"Yes, had you introduced yourself to the Colonel, then you would have either let him live to tell his employer, or you would have killed him, which no doubt Mr Carroll would have found out about," Connor said with a nod, "there was nothing else to be done."  
We sat in silence for a few moments. We had less than a week now to find this 'cove' or we could miss our only chance to take him down.  
The door opened with a crash and I leapt to my feet, my hidden blade erupting.  
Shay burst through the doorway with a grin, "I found the bastard."

We eagerly gathered around the maps as Shay strode over to the table. I felt my pulse quicken, the chase was nearly over. William Carroll had lead us from France to England and now to America, but finally, after seven months we had him at last.  
"The cove, as you say," Shay began, running his hand over the map before us, "is located right… here."  
The place he had stopped his finger revealed nothing.  
"There's nothing there." Connor told him, shaking his head.  
"Aye, there is. I had been thinking over and over, how could he have a costal base that we couldn't find? And then I remembered this place, a hidden inlet, so small that you can barely see it. I went in on foot, following a small river that lead from the sea itself," Shay gave us a grin, "Mr Carroll is a canny devil, he has grounded his ship so that it would be nigh impossible to see from the waters. Hell, he even has a lookout of the hill over here." Shay ran his finger slightly to the North and tapped the map.  
"Colonel Fitzpatrick said that our English friend would be assembling his entire force at the cove a week from now. Our problem being that we have no way of knowing if he will be there before the meeting takes place," I said with a frown, "we have to be sure he is there or this will have been for nothing."  
"I feared as much," added Connor, "Nevertheless, in one week from today we will take that cove and put an end to Mr Carroll."  
"We won't be able to make an attack without first disabling the lookout," said Élise thoughtfully, "we will need to split into groups for this to work."  
"Right you are," Shay nodded, "if you and Arno take out the lookout and then move to this position," he gestured to another part of the map, "then myself, Connor and Aveline will sail up the river and land at the base. With surprise on our side we can easily overwhelm the soldiers posted and force William Carroll himself to you."  
"A good plan," Aveline stepped forwards, "but what if our target takes men with him when he flees?"  
"That won't be a problem," I told her with a cocky grin, "I'll take the soldiers myself and leave Monsieur Carroll to Élise."  
"Between the pair of us, I doubt that he will have even a small chance of escaping," Élise nodded.  
I could see the light in her eyes spark, after William Carroll was dead, then she would finally be able to bury the past and have a future.  
"We are agreed then," Connor began, "in one week we will bring about an end to the man, and begin a new future for us all."

iii

The week passed in a blur as we prepared ourselves for the inevitable confrontation. I stood with Élise as she buckled on her belts, sheathing her cutlass, knife and pistol. I glanced down at my hands, it was time. Finally after three months the hated bandages came off. I let them fall to the ground as I examined my hands, my eyes taking in the patchwork of scars that now covered them.  
"Here," said Élise from behind me, holding my sword out.  
I took it with a smile, my hands remembering the perfectly balanced weight of the blade. I spun it around a few times, getting the feel of the leather grip once more. It felt good to hold my sword again after so long. I sheathed the steel blade at my left hip and shoved my pistol through my belt. Finally I pulled on my ebony skin tight gloves and grinned as the familiar feel of the soft leather came back to me, God I had missed this.  
"It has been far too long since I have held a sword," I chuckled, flexing my fingers.  
"Try not to grab the pointy end," Élise replied sarcastically, "It didn't go over well last time."  
"I'll be sure to remember that."  
I strapped on my phantom blade to my left wrist and Haytham Kenway's hidden blade to my right. Twin blades, a sword and pistol. I was ready to fight.  
Élise sidled up to me with a mischievous glint in her eye and gave me a kiss. I smiled as she pulled away and gestured to the door, "Shall we?"  
"It is high time we finished this," Élise replied with a nod, "today it ends."

The cool evening breeze greeted us as I jogged with Élise through the undergrowth beneath the hill that Monsieur Carroll had placed his sentries. I looked back into the gloom that shrouded the coastline behind us, somewhere out there sailed the _Morrigan_ and the _Aquila_ , waiting for our signal to sail down the river and to the cove. We slowed our pace as we reached the bottom of the hill and came to a stop, crouching in the undergrowth.  
"We cannot risk the chance that even one of them may escape," I said to Élise.  
She nodded, "I'll circle around the back, make your move in five minutes, but do it silently."  
"Good luck," I grinned back, and then she was gone, vanishing into the forest.

I flicked open my pocket watch for the tenth time and at last five minutes had been. I took a deep breath and started my ascent of the hill. I made sure not to crack any leaves under foot that could give me away, and slowly I reached the top of the hill. I slid down onto my belly and crawled up the last of the rise, now only the long grass covered me.  
I counted three men sitting about the fire ahead, laughing amongst each other. And they were facing away from me.  
I grinned and rose to a crouch, before slowly making my way towards them, my arms ready to unleash my hidden blades. My pulse quickened as I neared them. Closer and closer I got to my targets, and still they hadn't heard me.  
And then one of them turned, his eyes widening in shock as he saw me.  
Too late.  
My cover blown I leapt forwards and shoved my right blade into his throat. He fell backwards with a gurgle and then his companions turned, their hands reaching for their swords. My phantom blade dart sped from the crossbow like weapon and plunged between the ribs of a second man, straight to the heart. He fell with a grunt. I glanced at the last man but he was already running for the bell tower.  
I sprinted after him.  
But he had too much of a lead.  
I drew my pistol and aimed. I knew that the second I shot, someone from the base further down the river would hear and we would be done for. But if the bell rang then we certainly would be. Damn it, where was Élise? I cocked my pistol, now aimed squarely at the back of his head, I couldn't miss. I started to squeeze the trigger. I had no choice.  
And then the man fell without a sound, Élise's thrown knife buried in his neck.  
I sighed as I holstered my pistol, that had been far too close.  
Élise grinned as she jogged over to the fallen man and pulled her knife free.  
"Nice throw," I chuckled as she wiped the blade clean on the dead man's clothes.  
"Of course it was," came her cocky reply as she stood to her feet and sheathed her blade.  
I grinned back and picked up a long branch that was laying on the ground. I pulled the white flag that we were going to use to signal Shay and Connor from my long coat and tied it to the branch.  
"Let's go and greet our friend, Mr Carroll, shall we." 

iiii 

The sun was starting to go down as we neared the cove. The place itself was a small inlet, covered in a field of tents, with camp fires roaring all around. I could hear the merriment coming from the base and grinned, good, by the sounds of it they had all drank their fill of alcohol. I looked back to the ocean mouth and saw the _Morrigan_ and the _Aquila_ starting to make their way into the river, it was almost time. After a few minutes of jogging, we had skirted the base and crouched in the undergrowth on top of a small hillock, overlooking the campsite. I lay on my belly and felt Élise do the same beside me as we stared down into the base. This would be the way any escape attempt would lead our enemy. We just had to wait now.  
We didn't have to wait long, barely another few minutes.  
And then the cannons started crackling in the distance.

I watched as the _Aquila_ and the _Morrigan_ ravaged the campsite, sending men and bits of men flying into the air, toppling tents, and soon fires were roaring all through the devastated campsite. Our plan had worked perfectly; eliminating the lookouts had meant that they had no warning until the two warships were right on top of them.  
Screams came from the campsite as men died under the onslaught of the cannon fire, and I saw Mr Carroll's men streaming away from the brutal attack. I glanced back at the two ships and saw the first of the landing boats start to make their way to shore, Shay, Connor and Aveline amongst the first attackers.  
With war cries upon their lips they, lead their men on to shore and into the fight. I could only watch as the men of the _Aquila_ and _Morrigan_ mercilessly cut down any remaining opposition and sprinted after their prey into the trees.  
"There," whispered Élise, gesturing towards a small party of eight men making their way towards us.  
Even from this distance we could make out their leader as he looked around with a horrified expression. It was without a doubt William Carroll.

"Let's go," I muttered to Élise as the party neared us, and together we primed out pistols.  
Closer and closer they came to our position.  
My pulse quickened and I felt myself shiver in anticipation.  
The fools suspected nothing. They wouldn't have the faintest idea that we were laying in wait to ambush them.  
I could make out the features of every man now. All wore the blue of American soldiers, and two of the men were Edmund Fitzpatrick and the man he was with in the market, both wearing officers uniforms. Even Mr Carroll himself was likewise attired, with a sword at his hip.  
They were fifteen paces away now. I looked to Élise and she nodded.  
"NOW!" she cried and leapt out from cover, her pistol blazing.  
I jumped out beside her and pulled the trigger on my own firearm.  
Our shots caught Fitzpatrick and his friend from the market, good, we had both targeted the officers.  
Now only five men stood before us with William Carroll, the odds were good now, even in our favour.  
I smirked as Mr Carroll's mouth formed an O and his face contorted into shock as his two officers crashed to the ground in bloody heaps.  
"After twenty years I have I have found you," yelled Élise, drawing her cutlass, "and there will be no escape."  
"Miss de la Serre, please…" stammered her enemy, drawing his sword nervously.  
With a shout Élise charged him, and I followed, flourishing my sword and unleashing my left hidden blade.

I lost sight of Élise as I met with my five adversaries. I deflected the first soldier's sword to the ground and punched my hidden blade into his chest. As he toppled over, I swiveled sideways, barely avoiding the knifelike tip of a bayonet. With a cry I lashed out and slashed my sword across my new attacker's throat. He joined his dead companion with a grunt. Three to go.  
The next two came at me together, smart men. I blocked both their swords with my cutlass and wrist blade. As their steel met mine, I flung out a leg, catching one of the soldier's knees, and sent him to the ground with a scream of pain. As he fell the last attacker took his place and I created a whirlwind of steel about me as I took on my final two opponents. I blocked a cut aimed at my head and then slammed my sword guard into the man's face. As he staggered backwards I plunged my sword into his stomach. A cry of pain erupted from his lips as he fell back from the mortal wound, blood spraying the air about me. One left.  
I shoved my sword into the ground and beckoned the man.  
With a snarl he charged me without a second thought, the idiot.  
As he sword arm came down, I caught his wrist and swiveled, feeling his arm snap. As he screamed, his sword crashed to the ground and I finished him with a stab to the heart from my hidden blade.  
I retrieved my sword and turned to see Élise disarm her opponent and kick him to the ground.  
William Carroll gazed up at her, defeated; his body covered in dozens of small wounds inflicted by Élise's sword.  
She looked down at him and I could see her eyes blazing, "you tried to kill my mother."  
Élise sheathed her sword.  
"You tried to kill my friends and mentor."  
She drew her knife and crouched beside her fallen enemy.  
"You killed my friend."  
"Your damned family went against everything our Order stands for," spat William Carroll with venom, "you killed my daughter."  
"If you hadn't tried to murder my mother twenty years ago then May would still be alive and none of this would have happened," snarled Élise angrily, "know that not even a year ago I would have made you suffer for everything that you have done to my family," she looked at me with a sad smile, "but I have learnt a different way."  
And with that she stabbed her knife through his heart.  
It was over.

7 February 1795

i

We were back in Paris now, after five and a half months away, heading to our meeting with the Templar council. Our final day in America had been interesting to say the least, with our return to the homestead we had began to formulate a plan that would come into play when we met with the Templars, and this time, in front of the entire Parisian rite. We had bid Connor and Aveline farewell, but something told me that we would be meeting again. It had taken a while, but finally Haytham Kenway's hidden blade felt like an extension of my right arm now, much as the phantom blade did my left. And now as I strode towards the hotel that would serve as the meeting place, I walked with confidence. Shay and Élise were with me, all of us hopeful for the meeting to come. Shay walked a few paces ahead of me, clad in his same dark grey and red Templar robes, with his twin pistols in his belt, hidden blades at his wrists and a sword and parrying knife at his waist. He gave off an air of authority, showing himself to be the high ranking Templar Knight that he was. I walked side by side with Élise a few paces behind, giving the appearance of servants or body guards. We wore long grey cloaks over our clothes, with the hoods pulled low to cover our faces. A precaution in case either one of us got recognized before we found where the allegiance of the Order lies.  
We arrived at the meeting place shortly after noon, and Shay led us towards a tall building where two men stood at the doors, hands on their swords and Templar pins on their collars. I shared a glance with Élise who smiled back at me, so it begins.  
We strode up to the men guarding the hotel and Shay looked them up and down with an amused smile.  
"Identify yourself," said one of the Templars, glancing at each of our small group.  
"Shay Patrick Cormac," said our leader with authority, while flashing his Templar ring, "Here to meet with the Council."  
The guards looked at one another in surprise, they must have known that a meeting was taking place, but it appeared they didn't know it was with a living legend from their Order. I smiled under my hood, it would be far easier to begin talks with Shay present it would appear, the guards hadn't even bothered to check mine and Élise's identities, clearly the guards had been overwhelmed by being in the presence of a legend.  
"Right you are Monsieur," said one of the guards, before opening the doors, "this way if you please."  
And then we were in the hotel, following the Templar towards a back room. 

The building was dimly lit with candles and was heavily guarded. We passed at least a dozen armed men, clearly many of the Knights of the Order had made the journey to meet with Shay, which was to be expected. He had stopped the Assassins from acquiring many of the pieces of Eden, and had destabilized the power of the American Brotherhood to the point that it was all but destroyed. At least, until Connor had arrived. We followed the guard through the first room and then started down a long corridor, making our way towards another room, where I hoped, our future allies would be.  
"I leave you here," said our escort, indicating a door at the end of the passage way.  
"Many thanks," replied Shay with a nod.  
And then the three of us walked down the last of the passageway and Shay glanced at us, before turning to door handle and walking into the room before us.

There would have been at least a dozen of them, the Templars, and all were dressed in the same black robes, many bearing swords. They stood around in small groups muttering amongst themselves, occasionally glancing at other members of the Order. The room was well lit with a chandelier above us, and a large red Templar cross hung from the far wall. To my surprise I saw more than a few women amongst the group. The bubble of voices died down as we entered and the Templars turned to face us properly. I watched with a bemused smile as they looked Shay up and down, clearly seeking to see if this man lived up to his reputation. He did. One of the men, who would have been in his mid forties, stepped forwards and nodded to Shay with a smile.  
"You must be the infamous Shay Cormac, scourge of the Americas."  
He had a cultured kind of voice, one that seemed to suit him.  
"That I am, Sir," Shay returned the nod, "And you are?"  
"Marius DeCuir," he replied, taking Shay's proffered hand, "You might say that I am filling in until a new Grand Master is chosen."  
"Pleasure," Shay gave the man, Marius, a smile, "You are all by now wondering why I asked you to meet."  
There were some mumbled agreements around the room, "Aye Monsieur," said Marius with a nod, "What can we do for you?"  
Shay glanced around the room, noticed that all eyes were on him, and began his story.  
"As you are aware, five years ago some of our own brothers joined your man, Germain, and staged a coup, killing your former Grand Master, François de la Serre, in cold blood. After committing the act of treason, the Germain was allowed to take command of the Order and lead the Revolution on a bloody rampage that broke many, if not all, of our tenants within the Order."  
I hoped that Shay wouldn't go too far and get us all killed in this room, but to my surprise I saw many of the Templars nodding in agreement with Shay's words.  
"Germain marked your true Grand Master, Élise de la Serre for death, and as I hear, nearly brought her to her knees. However, she survived the encounter with Germain, while the traitor who called himself Grand Master was slain in the fight," Shay had the same fire in his eyes that I had seen at his house, here was a man that could inspire others, here was a true leader. And he was on our side, seeing if the Templars held any allegiance to the de la Serre name, and too Élise, "After the fight this true Grand Master reached out for peace, having had her revenge on the man who had betrayed her father all those years ago, and to my shame I learnt that one of our own, the Marquis de Pimôdan had formed an alliance with an English extremist known as Carroll, and tried to kill her while they were brokering a truce. This alone breaks every code within our Order."  
There were some angry voices emanating from the crowd before us and some broke into an uproar. However these were targeted at Pimôdan and Mr Carroll, I noticed with a smile.  
"Monsieur," began Marius in genuine shock, glancing around at the other Templars, "You can be assured that we had no knowledge of this meeting taking place, or that Mademoiselle de la Serre had even reached out to us. We only received word recently that Pimôdan had fallen, and we had conflicting reports come to us. One stated that Mademoiselle de la Serre had killed him in cold blood, the other that Monsieur Carroll had killed him and pinned the blame on the girl in hopes of us returning to the hunt. Naturally we agreed that the latter was true, as many of us know Monsieur Carroll to be a liar. Pimôdan must have withheld this information from us in the hopes of ending the de la Serre legacy."  
"Be that as it may," replied Shay, "Miss de la Serre was innocent of any crime and yet she was attacked by one of our own. I have come to report that not a week ago Mr Carroll was dealt a mortal blow by the very woman he had tried to murder."  
"The strongest steel is forged in the hottest fire after all," nodded Marius with a smile, "I never much liked Monsieur Carroll, however you must have come before us to speak of more than the death of the man."  
"You are right in that regard," Shay glanced at Élise and nodded to her, "This is the true reason I am here."  
Élise pulled back her hood, let the cloak fall to the ground in a pile and stepped forwards, beside Shay, "Hello Marius." 

Mouths dropped open around the room as the Templars stared at Élise in shock. The daughter of François de la Serre stood before them for the first time in many years. I could see some amused smiles from the assembled Templars, and yet more shocked expressions. Many had believed her dead, and yet here she stood.  
"Brothers, sisters, members of the Templar Order," she began, "I have come to parlay and beg a truce between us."  
"Mademoiselle de la Serre," replied Marius with a smile, taking her hand and plating a kiss upon it, "It gladdens me to see you alive. Know that many of us remained loyal to your family even after the death of your father."  
"But not one of you came to my aide when I needed it most."  
Be careful Élise I begged silently, watching as some of the Templars expressions darkened.  
"Many of us tried my dear, but after Germain executed those who spoke out, many of us were forced into silence, less we get caught out. Many of us were in fear for our families, surely you must have heard what Germain and his followers did to some of our brothers"  
"He was a monster, Marius, plain and simple," Élise told him, "However, the past is not why I have come here, but rather the future. I had hoped to be freed of my death sentence and to rejoin the Order."  
Marius smiled and turned to the other Templars. I watched as they nodded assent and most even put it into words.  
"Consider it done," said the Templar when he turned back, "However I have a proposition for you, one that many within the Order agree with."  
"Oh?"  
"After your father's untimely death I lead a small group of individuals in rebellion against Germain. We only were able to achieve small things, but we did manage to by you some time when his men were after you. This group is loyal still to the de la Serre name, and believe that you should indeed take your rightful place as Grand Master, it is after all, what you were born to be."  
Élise looked around the room, going from face to face and watching as they all in turn nodded to her, many smiling. It was clear that they all agreed with Monsieur DeCuir's words. Unlike when we met with Pimôdan, this offer was real. I felt a surge of pride in my breast, knowing that so many people believed in Élise and the de la Serre name.  
"You all have my gratitude," she told them, her eyes sparkling, "If you all in agreeance, then I will indeed follow in my father's footsteps and take my place as Grand Master of the Templar Order."  
"The matter is settled then, Grand Master de la Serre," said Marius, and all the Templars in the room bowed to Élise, "We will prepare the ceremony and have you indoctrinated as Grand Master in full within the week."  
Élise gave a short bow back to the Templars, her Order now, "You say that you remained loyal to my father, did you not?"  
"Yes, Grand Master."  
"Did you also share his views on peace with the Assassins?"  
There was some quiet muttering amongst the Templars, much of which was about peace between the two groups, good.  
"At the time of your father's death there were two factions within the Order. One lead by Sivert, who followed Germain's extreme ideas, and the other by Lafrenière, who shared many of Monsieur de la Serre's views. When Monsieur Lafrenière was killed I took command of that group. With the deaths of Sivert, Germain and the rest of his men, our group was able to regain control of the Order, so yes, many of us wish to end the bloodshed that has spanned generations."  
"Very good Monsieur, I thought as much," replied Élise and with a grin she turned to me, "Arno?"  
I lowered my hood and stepped to her side, "My name is Arno Dorian and I am a Master within the Assassin Brotherhood."  
There were gasps from many around the room, and some even went so far as to put their hands on their swords.  
"It's alright," Élise told them, silencing the room with a gesture.  
"I mean you no harm," I told them, raising my hands, "I am here to begin talks between our two Creeds; there has been war for far too long." 

10 February 1794

i

"You pose something of a riddle to me, Monsieur Dorian," Julien Bonnaire told me as we stood together in his private rooms, "In just over a month you have brought us not one, but two pieces of Eden and took down Germain. And then you took it upon yourself to eliminate Monsieur Carroll, among other extremists within the Templar Order, and you have brought us one step closer to a truce of sorts between us and our ancient enemy. I can see now why Mirabeau held you in such high regard." he smiled at me and held out a glass.  
I chuckled and accepted the glass of wine that he passed me.  
"Thank you, Grand Master," I replied with a nod, "I hope that together, under one banner, the two orders may be able to reduce the effects of the revolution, and maybe even stop all the innocent bloodshed."  
"In time, perhaps," chuckled Bonnaire, "for now we must work on bringing the other members within our order around to our cause. Many back us it is true, but there is still a large following that wish us to wage war with our ancient enemies."  
"Master Trenet," I said quietly. It had to be her.  
"Yes… She seems to believe that if we bring down the Templars, then we will be able to control the future of our nation. She is wrong, we need the Templars, now more than ever."  
Now more than ever? , what had happened while I was away?  
"What do you mean?" I inquired, gesturing for the Mentor to continue.  
"Our enemies are at France's doorstep," Bonnaire said sadly. And I noticed for the first time how tired he looked, he seemed withdrawn, "England, Spain and countless nations have began to conspire against us, each day they near our borders preparing for an inevitable invasion."  
And then it dawned on me. I felt the blood drain from my face, "with the revolution ongoing, and our country tearing itself apart we need more than to broker a truce with the Templars, we need an alliance."  
"That we do Arno, which is why for the last month I have been in correspondence with a Templar by the name of Marius DeCuir and we have decided that the fate of France itself rests in the hands of our two orders."  
"And with Élise returned to her rightful position of Grand Master, I must say that that any alliance should come about far quicker, especially now that the last of Germain's followers have been eliminated."  
Bonnaire nodded, "Yes, your Élise has told me that what is left of the Order will back an alliance with us, but it is not the Templars that give me cause for concern."  
"Aye, I have heard that Trenet has been openly opposed to you, and I have been told that she has been gathering support to her cause. But even I did not expect that she would act so rashly and so soon."  
"And act she has Arno, I fear that there will be a confrontation, and soon…" he gave me a thin smile before taking a gulp from his wine glass, "As you know, I have not yet appointed anyone as my second. I need a good man beside me, Arno. I need you beside me."  
"Me?" I asked in shock, was he serious? "Grand Master, I have been with the Assassins for barely five years including my year in exile, and have only recently returned from that banishment, are you sure that appointing me as your lieutenant is a good idea?"  
Bonnaire slapped his empty hand upon the wooden table with a thud, before glaring at me, "Damn it Arno, who else would you have me choose? Quemar? He blindly follows Trenet without a second thought. As for Beylier, he has no vision, no sense of… of how to keep this Brotherhood strong. No, I need someone by my side that I can trust, someone who can see that we need to collaborate with the Templars to help save our country."  
Was I ready to take my former mentor's position as second in command? The thought daunted me, but I realized that I had to do it, after all who else could?  
"Alright," I replied after a few moments, "I'll accept."  
"Good… good, I will announce your new position to the council forthwith," Bonnaire replied with a smile, "Now enough of these petty matters."  
I grinned back at the Grand Master, "Petty matters?"  
Monsieur Bonnaire looked at me again and chuckled, "Tell me, when do you plan to wed your red haired Templar?"  
"Towards the end of February, Monsieur… Why?" I replied with a frown, Julien hadn't made any form of disproval known before, but I was still on guard.  
"Well it's about time," he roared with laughter at my frown, "Come now, why would I of all people wish to see an end to the union? You have done very well indeed, Arno, she is a good woman… You know, it may well be the second time in history that an Assassin has been involved with Templar, so to speak."  
"The second time?" had this happened before, an Assassin marrying a Templar?  
"Yes indeed, do you recall the Assassin Grand Master from the third crusade, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad?"  
"Of course," I nodded, every Assassin had been taught about the man who had singlehandedly saved the Order from destruction, and taken it to heights that it had never seen before. Altaïr was a legendary figure among the Assassins.  
"He married a Templar himself you know, somehow he even brought her over to our Order," Bonnaire told me with a smile, "It is said that they had children together."  
"Well, it's a bit soon to be thinking about that," I chuckled, "perhaps in time though…"  
Children with Élise? The thought came with mixed emotions; happiness because I could finally have a family and with the woman that I loved. And a kind of sadness, because in my heart I knew that I wasn't ready to be a father, for now at least. And I very much doubted that Élise would want to be a mother just yet. I grinned at the thought.  
Monsieur Bonnaire raised his glass, "to the future of our Brotherhood, and to the first days of peace between the Templars and the Assassins." 

Extracts from the journals of Élise de la Serre 

_Dearest Father,_

 _A lot has come to pass since you were taken so cruelly from this world and away from me almost six years ago. In any case, we did it, Arno and I, we prevailed against Germain and his followers. I hope that this gives you the same measure of peace that it gives me, knowing that our enemy within the Order was brought low. In the weeks that followed Germain's death at Arno's hand (he became an Assassin after all), we managed to discover who was really behind the attack on Mother twenty years ago, Monsieur Carroll. And so after he attacked us once again, for my killing May, we journeyed to England and then to the Americas to put an end to him, and his fanciful notions of endless war with the Assassins.  
Upon my return to France, I was welcomed back into the Order with open arms, and I'll have you know that I have taken my place as Grand Master as was intended all those long years ago. The Mentor of the Assassins and I have reached an agreement, that our nation needs our two creeds to unite to help bring an end to the bloody revolution. And so our dreams of a world where the Assassins and Templars fight together has finally began to become a reality, and I hope that I have done you proud.  
After all the fighting that has consumed the last five years of my life, I finally have hope for the future. Arno and I are set to be married at the end of February, and I have asked Mr Weatherall to give me away. I was at first daunted by the prospect of married life, but I love Arno and I know that I will not become one of those preening wives from Versailles. I have never felt such joy towards the thought of being wed before, and how much that I love Arno, you would marvel at the fine man that he has become. This has made me realize how much I miss you, Father. There is so much that I wish to tell you, how much I love you and how much I wish you were here to see your daughter be married at last. I know that you are with Mother, watching over me._

 _Your beloved daughter,  
Élise _


	2. The alliance

28 February 1795

i

For the hundredth time I adjusted my black jacket, I had to make sure everything was perfect. My heart was pounding in my chest with raw emotion; the day had finally come, the day that Élise was to become my wife. I closed my eyes and took a moment to steel my nerves as my heart pounded in anticipation. To my surprise I found myself shaking as emotion racked my body. I had been walking hand in hand with death for years, seen people I care about die and come close to it myself, and yet the prospect of marrying the woman I love had me shaking nervously?  
I took a deep breath to steady myself. Today was the beginning of a new future, one that I would be sharing with Élise. After gallantry forbid how many lies I had bluffed,  
Was I catholic? Well what the good bishop didn't know, wouldn't hurt him…  
Were Élise and I related in anyway, adoptive or other? Again, he didn't need to know that I had been adopted into the La Serre family.  
I had finally attained a marriage license.  
After today we would _lawfully_ be allowed to share a bed.  
The thought made be grin and I felt my cheeks redden slightly; well not being married had stopped us sharing a bed, hadn't it…  
I glanced about the large hall, taking in the amount of seated people. I looked from face to face as they all smiled back at me. Hélène and Jacques were seated in the front row and both grinned up at me. To their right sat Julien Bonnaire and my dear friend Napoleon Bonaparte. I let my gaze roll over the crowd; many faces were familiar, from Shay Cormac, my close friend and trusted mentor, to Marius DeCuir, Élise's lieutenant within the Templar Order, along with many of my Assassin brothers and members of Élise's own Order. I almost chuckled at the irony as I took in the amount of assembled Assassins and Templars as they talked amongst themselves. For the first time in history there was a truce of sorts between the two factions, and it had all begun with myself and Élise.  
I looked back to the bishop, who gave me a nod and then signaled for everyone to rise. It was time. Once again I took a deep breath as my heart raced with excitement.  
And then Élise entered.

I barely noticed Frederick Weatherall beside her on his crutches; my eyes were only for my bride to be. My jaw dropped open at the sight of her. A ring of white roses adorned her fiery red hair, which hung in curls, tumbling down her shoulders. The dress itself was cream and white coloured, and it had been made to fit her perfectly, flowing over her slim but muscular body as if a second skin. A corset was pulled tight about her waist and the flowing dress trailed behind her. I couldn't help but smile; no doubt she would have hated it. Her deep green eyes were glowing with excitement as she strode confidently down the aisle between the rows of seats.  
Élise turned to her mentor as they reached me, and gave him a shining smile and he planted a kiss on each of her cheeks. Mr Weatherall sent me a nod, before retiring to his seat. And then Élise stood facing me and I took her hands with my own.  
"I told you that I didn't want to wear a dress for the ceremony," she whispered with a mock pout.  
"I remember something of the sort," I replied with a grin, "but you look beautiful."  
I gazed into her eyes as the bishop began the ceremony.  
I was so caught up in the moment that I nearly missed my cue.  
"Arno Victor Dorian, do you consent to take Mademoiselle Élise de la Serre to be your wife?"  
I grinned at Élise, "Yes, I do."  
I could see the joy radiate from Élise as the priest turned to her.  
"Mademoiselle de la Serre, do you consent to take Arno Victor Dorian to be your husband?"  
"I do," she replied without hesitation.  
I squeezed her hands with mine as the rings were brought forward.  
Finally.  
Élise took the first ring and slid it onto my finger with a mischievous grin, "You cannot escape now."  
I chuckled as I took the other ring and slowly slid it onto Élise's own ring finger, "I vow that I will never abandon you, and that I will protect you with my life."  
I was deadly serious, I would lay my life down for her without hesitation.  
Élise rolled her eyes and tilted her head, before replying with her usual sarcasm, "Protect me?"  
Happiness shone through her gaze as she looked back into my eyes and I felt my heart melt.  
I glanced back at the priest as he spoke up again, "In the sight of our lord, God…"  
I almost choked, my cheeks burning crimson. Little did he know that neither of us were at all religious…  
"And all the witnesses here, I pronounce you husband and wife."  
I couldn't hold back my joy any longer as I glanced at Élise and I saw the first sign of tears in her eyes. No longer was she Mademoiselle Élise de la Serre. Now she was _Madame_ Élise de la Serre. She had decided to keep her family name and I hadn't questioned her, it was one of the last things she had from her past life, one of the last things she possessed of her family. I squeezed her hands once more and I could tell that she was thinking of her parents.  
"You may kiss the bride."  
"That's it then," Élise whispered as I leaned towards her, "you and me, together until the end."  
I placed my hands around her back and then our lips met. For that moment it was just us, everything else forgotten. I felt her smile through the kiss, and when we finally drew apart she gave me the same smile that I had seen years ago in Versailles, the smile that spoke of only joy. I felt my heart leap, and then everything came back, the sound of clapping filling the room.  
I saw Freddie Weatherall grinning from ear to ear as he watched the girl who had been a daughter to him become a married woman. Beside him Hélène was crying tears of joy and Jacques was clapping enthusiastically. Napoleon gave me his signature grin as he joined in the applause. Behind him my Templar counterpart, Marius DeCuir, gave me a solemn nod that spoke volumes, one that meant that he would follow me. I returned the nod and looked back at the new Madame Élise de la Serre with a smile. She wrapped her arm around my own, and together we went to join our guests for the celebration to come.

I twirled Élise around the room as the small orchestra played in the background, barely noticing the other pairs as they danced around us; the moment was ours, and ours alone. I couldn't help but smile as I held Élise close, I had been dreaming of this moment for years.  
"Élise… I love you," I whispered into her ear as I pulled her closer.  
"I love you, Arno," I felt her smile into the side of my neck as we swayed back and forth to the music. My thoughts drifted to Élise and the future we would share, suddenly the battle that was fast approaching was forgotten, I was at peace.  
I don't know how long we swayed back and forth to the sound of the small orchestra playing, but then something caught my gaze and my blood ran cold. I looked over Élise's shoulder and froze.  
"Arno?" she began, before turning to see what had caught my gaze. Even with her facing away from me now, I could hear the venom in Élise's voice, "what is she doing here?"  
It was Sophie Trenet, one of the Masters of the Assassin Brotherhood, the one who had been so opposed to a truce with the Templars that she had started to act. And she had gained much support from within the Brotherhood.  
She stood in the corner of the room, gesturing angrily towards us while in a heated debate with the Mentor of my order, Julien Bonnaire.  
This wasn't good.

Together we made our way over to our uninvited guest. I flexed my wrist, at once wishing that I had kept at least one of my hidden blades on me. Unarmed I felt naked. Trenet looked up as we approached, glaring at me with open despise.  
"Ah, the Templar loving traitor himself," she almost spat, "I trust you are having a grand time."  
"Of course I am," I replied with a smirk, "and you?"  
I sensed Élise ball her hands into fists as she eyed the Assassin.  
"I had hoped to avoid this Arno, but you saw fit to betray everything that our Order stands for."  
"Oh and in what way have I broken the laws of our Creed?"  
Bonnaire placed a hand on my shoulder, "Let me handle this, Arno."  
"No," interrupted Élise, shaking her head, "she came here uninvited and accused my husband of wrongs he hasn't committed," she glared at the other woman again, "why are you here?"  
"Don't you talk to me, Templar," came the venomous reply, "I gave you a chance, Arno, a chance to avoid conflict, but you spat on it."  
"What you asked of me was against everything I stand for, we need the Templars," I stepped closer and dropped my voice to a growl, "and I love Élise."  
"Be that as it may, I gave you a choice."  
"You are truly blind then," hissed Bonnaire, "what we need is the courage to end a war that has been going for generations."  
Trenet looked the Mentor up and down, "You, Mirabeau, him," she glanced at me, "you're all the same. None of you have the strength to continue the fight. How did any of you attain your ranks, let alone gain entrance into the Brotherhood?"  
"The fighting must end, why can't you see it?" I replied hotly, "We were so busy arguing amongst ourselves and fighting with the Templars, that our nation almost tore itself apart. If Mirabeau and Monsieur de la Serre had formed a truce like they had intended, then the revolution would not have reached the level that it had, and countless innocent people would have been spared the guillotine."  
"It is clear to me now that you will not see reason," growled Trenet, "therefore out of respect for Mirabeau, I will give you one month."  
"Choose your next words carefully, Assassin," cut in Élise, "I don't take threats idly."  
"I am giving you one month, _Madame_ de la Serre," Trenet snarled, "and then I am leading my followers against you, your Order," she turned her hate filled gaze on me, "and any Assassin who chooses to stand with you. There will be no mercy for traitors."  
"Get out," I glared at her, "before I start considering ending your life here and now."  
"As you wish, Monsieur Dorian. I bid you good day."  
And with a twirl of skirts she was gone.  
"Well… That was interesting," I muttered.  
"Interesting? We should have killed her," grumbled Élise from beside me. She wasn't serious… much.  
"No, we have to wait for her to make the first move," said Bonnaire quietly, "if we had killed her here, the entire Brotherhood would have turned on us… As it is she has gathered more support to her cause than we have. Soon I will be Mentor in name only."  
"I didn't realize that so many were opposed to our treaty," Élise replied sadly, "traditions die hard it would seem… So aside from my Order and the few Assassins with you do we have anyone we can turn to for aid? Without help we have far fewer numbers at our disposal than Trenet does."  
"Some," I nodded, "I sent word to the Italian Brotherhood, and as we speak they have sent two of their members to support us. They will be here within the week. But the Assassins and Templars have been at each other's throats for centuries, and most wish it to remain so. It will be a hard task gathering support for our cause."  
"I may be able to help," added Shay as he strode up to us, Napoleon in tow, "With good wind I can make for America and return in under four months. Connor will back us, you know it."  
"Yes, he will…" I thought for a few moments. Although that would mean losing Shay's valuable council for four months, the support he would bring would help our cause greatly. "Alright, when can the _Morrigan_ be ready to sail?"  
"I will make preparations immediately," Shay replied with a nod, "I can be under way for the Americas within three days."  
"And you know that you have my support, my friend," added Napoleon, "just say the word."  
It felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders, "Thank you… all of you," I said, glancing at my companions. I felt a surge of pride, knowing that I had their support.  
"Now, shall we return to the celebrations?" grinned Élise, "this is a wedding after all." 

ii

The following two days passed by in a blur, and they were two of the happiest days of my life. Bonnaire had granted me those two days leave, while Monsieur DeCuir had taken over from Élise, giving us two days away from the squabbles of the Assassins and Templars, and two days together. Alone. They had been peaceful, and while yes, we may have had a little too much to drink, I had started to think of a life outside that of the Assassins. I smiled to myself, indulging in the dream… and then my mind flickered back to the present as the squawking of gulls reached my ears.  
I rode beside Shay and Élise on my brown steed as the sea breeze drifted to us, filling my senses with the smell and taste of the sea.  
We had been in the saddle for hours now and I was looking forward to getting off my horse, and easing the ache that I had started to acquire.  
Finally, we were in Calais once again.  
"At last," Shay grinned from the back of his mount beside me, "the sea awaits."  
I gazed down at Calais and then over to the waters of the ocean beyond, watching as the waves floated into shore. I remembered my sea voyage vividly, the first few days of sea sickness had not been enjoyable to say the least.  
Élise rolled her eyes and shook her head with a laugh. She had been none too impressed with the voyage herself.  
"How someone can be so at ease around the leaking deck of a ship is beyond me," I replied with a chuckle.  
"Ha! Admit it, you enjoyed your voyage to America more than you let on."  
"No chance of that, Monsieur."  
Shay chuckled and together we spurred our horses onwards, down to the docks.

We reached the outskirts and Élise parted ways from us, heading once more for the scum filled hive known as the _Antlers_. The very thought of the place brought back memories that I would rather have forgotten. It was the place that Élise had almost been taken by rapists almost six years ago, and had been back only once since then, when she slew the villain in the tavern itself. However, her mission was vital, with most of the income for the Assassin Brotherhood now controlled by Madame Trenet, it was vital that our alliance gained new support. With the courtesans and thieves guilds openly backing Trenet, we needed to try for a new approach. And that was why Élise had broken from our group, to track down her old friend, Byron Jackson, and to gain the support of the smugglers operating in the cannel between France and England. I smiled to myself as we neared the docks; it was hard to imagine Élise negotiating with anyone, being as fiery and independent as she was. I had no doubt that she would find a way to talk the smugglers over to our side.

The masts of the _Morrigan_ came into sight, the blood red sails, even while furled up; set it aside from the other naval vessels in the port, all bearing plain white canvas sails.  
It didn't take long before we cantered into the bustling port city, headed for the docks.  
"Ever since Trenet started causing trouble I have been having this feeling in my gut," began Shay as we rode through the town, "I am old Arno, November marked my sixty-third year."  
I glanced at Shay, worry starting to form in my chest, "You? Old? You do recall bringing down Monsieur Carroll and his rebellion last year?"  
My companion chuckled, before replying seriously, "I can feel it in my bones more and more with each passing day. A little slower, a little weaker. It is partly why I chose to go and seek help from Connor myself."  
So that was it. Shay was afraid that by staying he would be endangering us by making someone have to keep a constant watch on him. In a battle that could be fatal, but he was too proud to admit as much.  
"I would rather you be by my side," I replied, "Your council will be sorely missed, along with your friendship."  
Shay nodded and then gazed into the distance. We rode in silence for a few moments, before he spoke up again.  
"Hope once told me that I the potential to accomplish great things, she believed as much until the day she died," he started. This was the first time since we had met that he had brought up his past, mentioning one of the Assassins that he had killed. "Fighting beside you, Arno, it feels right. It feels like I am atoning for my betrayal all those long years ago."  
"You redeemed yourself long ago," I told him quietly, "the moment you decided to aide us in our fight."  
We came to a stop near the docks and dismounted. I stretched and at once the dull ache in my backside started to ease. My companion stepped beside me and clapped a hand on my shoulder, "You are a good man Arno. I have seen how hard you have pushed yourself since our return to France. I was a close friend to Haytham Kenway, a man considered to be one of the greatest swordsmen of our generation, and since our return, your dedication these passed months, has made you surpass his skill with a blade. I believe that you could defeat my former student with ease by now."  
I looked at my companion in surprise; his former student, James Gabrielle had almost killed me, twice. If not for the timely intervention of Shay and Connor, I would undoubtedly have been killed. And while it was true that my swordplay was at its best, far better than it had been before, and I rarely took a hit from anyone in the practice ring anymore, including Élise. To hear the man who had become a father figure to me say that filled me with pride, but even so…  
"You exaggerate…" I began, before Shay cut me off with a shake of his head.  
"You are a talented warrior and have a keen eye for strategy. I believe that you will take the Brotherhood to new heights once Trenet is dealt with."  
"Well, first things first," I nodded with a smile, "we take her and her followers down. She never agreed with my gaining entrance into the Brotherhood, and after the work Mirabeau did with Monsieur de la Serre, I fear this fight was always fated to be."  
Shay gazed at the decks of the _Morrigan_ for a few moments before replying, "Fate rarely calls upon us at a time of our own choosing. What we do with that time; that is the true test of a man. We won a battle last year, but the true war is about to begin."

Shay was underway less than an hour later, and not long after, the _Morrigan_ was out of sight. As I strode towards the tavern known as the _Drunken Sailor,_ I reached into my waistcoat's pocket and withdrew a letter that had arrived the previous week. A letter from the Italian Assassin Mentor, Marco Lucian. And if what I heard was true, the Lucian family were descended from an old but powerful family known as the Auditore. I glanced at the letter, checking once again to be sure of my rendezvous with the Italians.

 _Signore Arno Dorian,  
The report you sent was troubling to say the least. The day Assassins turn on each other is a dark one, and while I don't fully understand your motives for making peace with the Templars, I believe that you are in the right. As such, I have dispatched two of my most skilled agents to aide you until such a time as you restore order to the Parisian sect of our Brotherhood. My son and daughter will meet you in Calais on the third day of March within the alehouse known as the 'Drunken Sailor'._

 _Regards,  
Marco Lucian._

  
I shoved the letter back into my pocket and gazed at the squat tavern before me. This was the place that many a sailor and otherwise bored local would go do drink themselves stupid. It didn't look like much, but then, taverns rarely did. With a sigh, I took a deep breath, recalling the last time I had entered a tavern in Calais. A man had died that day, and two more had been injured. And being a hive of criminals and gangs, I steeled myself for a fight if one came. My pistol was within easy reach, by hidden blades oiled so that they would be ready at a moment's notice and my sword was honed to razor sharpness. With a final glance around I opened the wooden door and walked inside the _Drunken Sailor._

  
I moved aside from the doorway so that I wouldn't be in full vision of anyone looking towards the door. It took a few moments for my eyes to adjust to the dimly lit, gloomy hall of the tavern. It appeared no one had taken notice of my entrance, still, it was better to be cautious than dead.  
I glanced around, taking everything in, crowds of people sat around tables, drinking and laughing loudly. My eyes settled on a hooded woman sipping from tankard by the counter itself. I could see long black hair showing through the bottom of her hood, which was clearly of Assassin origin. I started to make my way over to her, when another patron of the tavern, a man stinking of cheap wine, swaggered over to her and started muttering into her ear. I watched as the woman turned to the drunk and look at him calmly as he made a gesture to the door. It dawned on me that he was trying to be seductive. The fool.  
"So watcha say?" the drunken man slurred, "hows about I show you a proper good time."  
I started to make my way over, when she caught my eye and slightly shook head. It was barely noticeable, clearly the drunk hadn't seen the gesture, all the same I stopped and tipped my head to her. It wasn't my place to interfere in her business.  
The woman picked up her tankard, tipped her head back and downed the contents in one move.  
"That would imply that you have something swinging between your thighs," she told him calmly with a glint in her eyes, " _Signore_."  
"You what?" he seemed to come out of his stupor and I could see his brain trying to piece together exactly what she had said. And then it dawned on him. His faced turned a bright shade of scarlet, "Italian bint!"  
He snarled, reached out, and savagely pulled her hood down. Her long ebony hair spilled out from her hood and hung around her shoulders.  
The bubble of voices died down and heads turned to the confrontation.  
She would have been around my age, I decided, at the most she would have been thirty. Anger flashed across her hazel eyes, anger directed at the man who had so rudely revealed her to the entire tavern.  
I watched as the woman calmly stood to full height, looked the man dead in the eye, and then she slammed her right fist into to man's chin.

He sailed through the air and crashed into a pile at the Assassin's feet. She smirked at the man and glanced about the room, daring anyone to make a move on her.  
"Well played," said a voice from behind her, "although, I would have done it without the mess."  
I almost chuckled as another Assassin, this one a man, appeared at his companion's side.  
"You act as if you don't spend most of your time fighting and _cazzo ragazze_ ," came her reply.  
"Oi, you!"  
A group of men, obviously friends of the fallen man strode over and looked at the pair angrily. One of them, clearly the leader stepped forwards and snarled, "You can't just come in 'ere and attack one of our own," he spat at the woman's feet, "Italian scum."  
The woman froze, the first glint of danger appearing in her eyes.  
"Just let us finish our drinks and we'll be on our way, my friend," the Italian man told him.  
"You must think me stupid," came the reply, as the gang surrounded the Assassins.  
"Oh, I think you're very stupid."  
I watched as a stunned silence filled the room and a look of anger dawned on the gang leader's face.  
With a roar the leader of the group charged the Assassin, and within seconds he was thrown to the ground in a senseless pile beside his comrade.  
"Anyone else?" smirked the male Assassin.  
I watched as more men joined the group encircling the pair, there would have been a dozen of them. And they were readying to attack.  
I grabbed a bottle of wine from a nearby table, it could be useful in a tavern brawl, and pushed my way through the crowd until I stood with the Italians, "Seems you could use a hand."  
"You are most welcome, _fratello mio_ ," said the man with a nod, and together we formed a circle.  
I felt the bottle be pulled from my grasp and glanced over my shoulder to see the woman take a swig, glance at one of the gang members who had started to move towards her.  
"Such a waste," she said with a smirk, looking the man up and down, before ducking the punch thrown her way and smashing the wine bottle down on her attacker's head.  
It exploded on impact and glass flew through the air. The man dropped to the ground with a groan. I winced; it was a hard blow and he would feel it for days. And then with an angry roar, the rest of the gang charged us.

My first opponent came at me, leading with a right hook. I smiled as the punch came towards me, remembering all the tavern brawls I had been in during my youth in Versailles. I slipped to the side, the blow flashing passed my head, and then I smashed my elbow into my attacker's face. I felt his nose break under my blow, and then he crashed to the ground, blood erupting from his nose. I didn't spare him a second look as my next opponent took his place. I raised my fists, and then he struck. I deflected his arm with my own, and then hammered four blows of my own into his exposed stomach. As he doubled over I sent a knee into his chin, rocking his head back and sending the man flying backwards. In a brawl, outnumbered as we were, any move would do. I swiveled back just in time to avoid a punch aimed at my head. I continued my pirouette and then took him legs out from under him with an out flung leg. Three down. I quickly surveyed the tavern. The three of us were still standing, while only four of the gang were. Moments ago they had had a vast numbers advantage… no longer. This would be childs play.  
I gave one of the gang a cocky smile and beckoned him with a finger.  
"Come on," I smirked. The devil in me once more rearing its head.  
He charged me with an outraged bellow, relying on brute force to lay me low. The fool. A look of incomprehension flashed across his face as suddenly I wasn't where his fist was flying towards anymore. I ducked under his arm, and with a lightning fast blow, slammed my own fist into his gut. The blow connected with a thud, and then I was passed him. I twirled around just in time to see him topple to the floor with a groan.  
I spun to face my companions and saw that now only two of the gang were still standing. I watched as the male Assassin caught the arm of an attacker, sent a punch into his face and then tossed him over his shoulder. As the man crumpled to the ground, the female Assassin smashed a devastating high kick into the final gang member's chest. He was launched into the air, before crashing down onto a table with a grunt of pain as the table collapsed under his weight.

"Now that is what I call a good start to the morning," chuckled the male Assassin, before striding over to me, "you must be this Arno Dorian that we have heard so much about."  
"I am, Monsieur," I replied, smiling at his light hearted manner.  
"My name is Dante Lucian," he told me, raising his left fist over his chest and dipping his head, "and this is my sister, Alessa."  
Alessa raised her left fist to her breast and gave the gesture that her brother had, " _Fratello mio_."  
For the thousandth time I praised my upbringing with the La Serre's. Under their tutelage I had a basic grasp of Italian, _fratello mio_ , simply meaning; 'my brother'.  
I returned her nod, before gesturing around at the unconscious gang about the tavern.  
"Well that was certainly _not_ the meeting I had in mind."  
It had however, been more fun.  
"A waste of a good bottle of wine too…" replied Alessa with a hint of a smile, before pulling her hood back up.  
I chuckled, Élise would like Alessa, I decided, very much.  
And then the blue uniform of an officer appeared in the doorway.  
"What's going on here?" the soldier glanced about the room and saw the unconscious and bloody men sprawled about the room. He looked over his shoulder, "MEN!"  
Damn it.  
"Time to go," I called to the Italians, before dashing for the rear entrance.  
We sped out of the _Drunken Sailor_ as the first cries of alarm went up, and I could hear the pounding of feet behind us.

I lead my companions through a maze of alleyways and backstreets, and slowly but surely, we pulled ahead of our pursuit. I dashed around a bend and noticed a large pile of crates. With a grin I sped towards the wall beside them, used the wall as a step and leapt onto the crates. I kept my momentum going, took two steps up the final part of the wall and then barreled onto the rooftop.  
I could hear shouts from the alley now, but we were out of sight… for now.  
I glanced around and saw one of the large towers used as a lookout for the town. Perfect.  
I sped up to a sprint, leading my companions over the rooftops like a group of ghosts. I leapt gaps between roofs and used taller buildings to help gain height as I pushed on towards the tower.  
It didn't take long before we reached the tower, and with a chuckle I ran towards it, this would be fun.  
I used anything I could find as a hand hold as I flew up the side of the tower. In minutes I was on the tiled roof of the tower itself.  
I turned back with a chuckle as my companions pulled themselves up beside me.  
And then we started to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. In the brief time we had known each other we had fought off a gang of thugs, ran from soldiers and now had climbed up a lookout tower. I looked down to the ground. We were on the edge of the city now, the waters of the ocean directly below us.  
I inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. Now that was an interesting way to start the day, to say the least.  
I could imagine Élise rolling her eyes in exasperation. Of course I couldn't go to rendezvous with the Italians without getting involved in a fight.  
"I would not change this life for anything," said Alessa from behind me.  
Dante chuckled before replying to his sister, "It is a good one, little sister."  
I grinned as Alessa playfully punched her brother's arm.  
I looked down to the waters below us, gauging their depth.  
It was deep, perfect.  
"Welcome to France," I told them with a grin and gestured towards the city sprawled around us.  
I sent a nod to the brother and sister, before walking to the edge of the tower. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, now came the fun part. I felt my heartbeat quicken as I gazed into the waters of the sea. I spread my arms, remembering my first leap of faith almost six years ago from the roof of the Bastille as I made my escape with Bellec.  
And then I threw myself from the tower and into the sky.  
It was a good life. 

23 March 1795

i

Julien Bonnaire glanced around that the assembled faces as he unfurled a large map of Paris on the table before us. I stood at my Mentor's right shoulder, beside Élise and her lieutenant, Marius. When the map was fully unfolded the two Italians strode over and started examining every detail of the city, getting the feel of the layout.  
"So," began Monsieur Bonnaire, "It has been almost a month since Madame Trenet delivered her threat, and as such we need to prepare. Thanks to Madame de la Serre and her smugglers, we have the supplies to put up a fight," he nodded to Élise with a smile, "however, the fact remains that we are heavily outnumbered by our enemy."  
"I believe that there is more to it than that," I told Bonnaire.  
"What have you heard, Arno?"  
"There have been whispers," I added thoughtfully, "that Madame Trenet has gained support from leaders on both sides of the revolution, from royalists and republicans alike."  
"She even tried to turn Byron and his men against us," said Élise with a glint in her eye, "from what I hear she wasn't very pleased with the reply she received."  
I chuckled, remembering the letter that Monsieur Jackson had sent us barely two weeks ago. His reply to Trenet had been straight forward to say the least. _'I am deeply sorry Madame, but while you may have no notion of what it means to be loyal, I happen to understand the word perfectly'.  
_ No, Byron's letter had not gone down well with our opponent in the slightest.  
"Which is what brings us here." Bonnaire looked around at us once more, "My agents tell me that Madame Trenet is trying to pinpoint our location so that she can strike at us."  
As a precaution we had moved our force from the Parisian Assassin hideout to a small villa in Paris, belonging to the La Serre family, and had taken the pieces of Eden with us.  
I nodded, "She won't make a move on us until she has struck at the Templars," I gestured to Élise and Monsieur DeCuir, "and we cannot wait for that to happen."  
"No, you cannot," Élise told us with a frown, "Trenet and her Assassins have been hitting our supply lines, and hitting them hard. And while we have been returning the favour, there had been some muttering within my Order, as to why our allies have not been supporting us. I understand the delicate position that you are in, Julien, by some within the Templar Oder do not."  
The Mentor nodded and looked to me, noticing my thoughtful expression, "Do you have any ideas, Arno?"  
"We need to find someone with a vast knowledge on our enemy," I told the group, "I suggest that we track down the head of the thieves guild and find out exactly where Trenet is hiding from us."  
"They turned on us," Bonnaire shook his head, "you would have no more luck getting answers from René Hugues than you would questioning a brick."  
I almost grinned at the imagery, "I wasn't implying a friendly chat."  
A silence settled about the table as everyone thought the idea over.  
"I agree with you," spoke up Élise with a nod, "we will have made no direct move at Madame Trenet, so your Assassins would have no reason to join with her. And if you do not do something soon, my Order may well turn on you."  
"Be that as it may, it is a risk," replied Bonnaire with a frown.  
"A bold strategy," grinned Dante from across the table, "one I happen to favour. After all, what else can we do besides sit here and wait for Trenet to attack the Templars."  
"We have waited long enough," agreed Marius, "they have been hitting our supply lines for far too long as it is," he placed his hands on the table, "and we cannot fight them without you."  
Alessa stepped forward, addressing Bonnaire, "They are right, Mentor. If your men had wanted to change sides then they would have done it by now. It is time to show Sophie Trenet what we can do."  
Bonnaire gazed at the map thoughtfully for a few moments, "Alright. However, you cannot all go hunting for Monsieur Hugues; it would draw far too much attention to us."  
"I agree," I nodded, "If myself and Élise hunt him, I have no doubt that we will gain the answers that we need."  
We had proven time and time again that we made a good team, and after everything we had been through together, who else could find the leader of the thieves, René Hugues?  
"It is a good plan," added Élise, before turning to her lieutenant, "Marius, I want you to keep searching Monsieur Quemar. If we can eliminate Trenet's second in command, then we will have a far greater chance of stopping her plans all together."  
"Of course, Grand Master," Marius nodded his head to her.  
"And what of us?" spoke up Alessa, stepping up beside her brother.  
I looked at the siblings and then the map of Paris, a plan forming in my mind. "I want the pair of you to bring down Madame Trenet's spy network. After all, without her eyes, how can she find us?"

Less than an hour later I was walking side by side with Élise through the bustling streets of Paris itself. The thieves had control over most of the taverns in the city, so even without knowing where their hideout was, we had a good start. All that had to be done was to find the thieves' contacts within the taverns and alehouses. I parted with Élise, splitting up so that we could search the taverns with double the speed, and have less chance at being caught out.  
At last I reached the tavern in the district and looked it up and down. It was surprisingly well looked after, but it wasn't the tavern I was looking at, rather the piece of red cloth adorning one of the windows. I smiled; the red cloth showed that the guild had control over this particular tavern. I took a deep breath and walked up to the door, it was time to make the acquaintance of some thieves.

I found them in a circle at the back of the hall, all with bottles or tankards of wine in their grasp; all wearing the rags of the poor, but they all laughed and joked without a care in the world. These men and women truly lived up to their reputation, a short life but a merry one was the saying. They noticed my approach and the laughter died down as they took in my Assassin garb, the thieves guild being one of the few groups that knew of our very existence. They looked at me a moment with curious eyes, before returning to their drink, laughter and the card game before them. Good, they knew not to bring attention to me. They wouldn't know that I was with Bonnaire and not Trenet, so this should be easy. I strode over and leaned against a post beside the ring of thieves. The man beside me didn't spare me a glance and instead whispered, "So, what can we do for you, Assassin?"  
"I'm looking for a man by the name of René Hugues, he is said to be your leader. Can you help me?"  
"Perhaps," the thief was silent for a few moments, "but you must help us in exchange."  
I smirked; the thieves were only out for themselves. Still, I needed to find Monsieur Hugues.  
"What do you need?"  
The thief nodded, "A man by the name of Jean de Sauveterre has been stirring up trouble in the district. He is a wealthy man and has been using that wealth to make the poor poorer and increase his vast wealth. He kills anyone that opposes him, and we do not have the training to bring about his downfall."  
Ah, Monsieur de Sauveterre was one of those who still believed that he should still have as much power as nobles did before the revolution, and was going about things in much the same way, expecting their not be any repercussions. The noble fool. Men like de Sauveterre deserved everything that they had coming for the suffering that they caused those who they believed to be beneath them.  
"And I suppose that you want me to kill Monsieur de Sauveterre?"  
The thief nodded, "Kill him and I will tell you what I know of René's whereabouts."  
I rose to my full height and nodded back the thief, "Sauveterre will die."  
Even if I hadn't needed to find the leader of the thieves guild I would have killed the man without hesitation. By forcing poverty on others to increase his own wealth, and killing anyone who spoke out about the injustice, Monsieur de Sauveterre had made an enemy of me.

ii

Tracking Jean de Sauveterre was easy, very easy indeed. Being a noble had given Monsieur de Sauveterre a cozy life, a life where he couldn't live without the comforts that the wealthy had grown so dependent on. As such, my target had taken up residence in the largest building in the district, a small villa.  
I crouched on the roof of a tall building opposite the chateau, taking in its layout. A small wall ran about it, encircling it in stone. The villa itself was no different from any other that I had seen, tall, posh looking and with various balconies and windows from which I could gain entrance.  
I surveyed the ground, my eyes searching for de Sauveterre's guards. There were four stationed at the front entrance, muskets clasped in their hands and swords by their sides. Another three were stationed on the roof, overlooking the villa. And finally two more stood on balconies, surveying the road that ran before the villa.  
A plan formed in my mind, and with a grin I jogged across the rooftops, keeping out of sight of de Sauveterre's sentries. Once the sentries on the villa were gone from my vision, I strode to the far edge of the rooftop, turned back to the street side and took off, my feet pounding on the tiles. The edge drew nearer and nearer, and then I threw myself into the sky. The street rushed passed under me in a blur, and then I thudded down on the far rooftop, landing in a roll. I was now on the same side as de Sauveterre's residence. I pushed back to my feet and raced across the rooftops, headed for the villa.  
It came into sight instantly and I ducked behind a chimney, taking care to remain hidden. I glanced around and saw the sentry posted on my side of the villa turn and stride to another part of the roof. I eyed the gap; it wasn't far to the wall that surrounded the building, and around the same distance again to the villa. A challenging obstacle, that is, if you weren't an Assassin.  
Now was my chance.  
I erupted from behind the chimney and pushed myself into a sprint, the rooftop flashing by under my feet. And then I reached the edge of the final roof before the villa, and leapt into the chasm.

As the air rushed passed my ears, I stretched out my legs and kicked off the wall as it sailed under me. Once more I was airborne, this time flying towards the villa itself. A balcony was my target, and just as I began to lose momentum and started to plunge to the ground, my fingers latched onto the edge of the balcony and I pulled myself up. I took a moment to get my breath back and then strode to the closed doors before me. I reached out and grasped the handle. As I'd thought, they were locked. No matter. I reached into my waistcoat and withdrew my lock pick. A few short turns later, the lock clicked open and I was in.

I took a moment to look over the large room that I found myself in. Paintings hung at the walls, wardrobes stood beneath them. Furniture that only the wealthy could afford stood about the room and a small fire crackled in the corner. It had the look and feel of a self satisfied noble. I slowly made my way over to the far closed door, taking care not to make a sound. I pushed my ear to the wood and listened. I heard muffled voices and footsteps striding passed the door. At the most there were six people in the villa, not a problem. I waited until I couldn't make out the footsteps anymore, before I slowly turned the handle and walked into the hallway.

I was on high alert, every sense straining to make out the sound of someone about to discover me. But I walked down the hallway unopposed. I ducked into a small side room as I heard a guard enter the hallway. I readied my hidden blades, but he hadn't seen me. Monsieur de Sauveterre would mostly likely be in the top floor of the villa, as he was the kind that liked to look down his nose at those around him. I waited until the guard had gone and then I strode back into the hallway and made my way onto the staircase before me. I walked up the double flight of stairs silently, not making a sound, I was a wraith. In moments I was on the top floor of the villa, the closed doors of a study before me. I made my way over to the wooden doors and couched, looking through the keyhole. Jean de Sauveterre stood with his back to me, looking out the window at Paris. I silently opened the door and entered. Still he didn't move, the fool must have been half asleep. I closed the door behind myself and flexed my wrist, preparing my blade. Each step brought me closer to the man, when at last with a sigh, he turned and saw me. His mouth opened in shock and then I leapt on him, my right hand covering his mouth and stopping his cry of alarm, my left stabbing my hidden blade into his paunchy stomach. I lowered de Sauveterre to the ground, careful not to make a sound.  
"Your days tormenting those too weak to stand against you are over, de Sauveterre," I told him as the last of his breath left his body, "Repose en paix."  
I closed his eyes with my fingers and stood back to full height. That had been far easier than I had imagined.  
The thudding of footsteps came to me from behind the closed door. _Merde._ Time to go.  
I strode over to the window and opened it. I heard the footsteps come to a halt just outside the study door. I clambered through the window and closed it behind me, dropping out of sight. Just in time.  
"Monsieur de Sauv… GUARDS!"  
I looked below and saw the guards sprint into the villa. Good, the discovery of de Sauveterre had given me an easy way out.  
I dropped to the ground and strode out from the villa yard and into the street, a smile playing across my lips. Jean de Sauveterre's death would free many from the shackles of fear, and now I had a way to find Monsieur Hugues.

I met with the thief once more, this time in a private room in the second floor of the tavern. He poured me a glass of wine and handed it to me, before pouring a glass for himself.  
"So, you wish to find Monsieur Hugues," began the thief thoughtfully, "I would like to know why you seek him," he raised a hand to his stubble covered chin, "Your Mentor, Madame Trenet, keeps in close correspondence with him."  
Here was the part that I had been dreading, making a fool out of the very man who was helping me.  
"She has entrusted me with a message that is so vital that she cannot risk a letter being intercepted."  
"I see…" I could see him processing my statement. "Then why does she not meet with him herself?"  
"My Mentor is busy fighting off a rogue sect within our very order," well that part hadn't been a lie.  
"That she is," the thief nodded, his expression somewhere between thoughtful and guarded, "Alright, you will find René within his residence," he pulled out a map of Paris and laid it on the table, before indicating a tavern in a wealthier district, "not far from here."  
He gave me the directions to where the leader of the thieves guild resided, a double storied older style house. I took a moment to imprint the directions into my mind and then nodded to the thief.  
" _Merci_ ," I thanked him and then we drained our glasses.  
The sun was starting to set when I finally emerged from the tavern and walked onto the street. The cool night breeze greeted me.  
I had to rendezvous with Élise, and after that, we would pay Monsieur René Hugues a visit.

iii

The last of the sun had dipped below the horizon when we arrived at the location that I had been given. While I had gained the location, Élise had stumbled across a rival thief gang and had gained their support, and at the same time had discovered that Monsieur Hugues' sect of thieves had a fondness for hidden entry to their stores and dens. And as such, they believed that the thieves guild leader himself had a secret back entrance to his residence, one that we now stood before. The way in reminded me much of the entry into Jacques de Molay's vault. This entrance, however, bore the symbol of the thieves guild and not that of the Knights Templar. I reached out and grasped the symbol, gave it a turn to the right, and then the stone wall slid into the ground, giving us a small entry into the building.  
"Shall we?" I grinned to Élise and stepping towards the entrance.  
"It is high time we meet this thief," she replied with a gleam in her eye.  
And then we entered the house.

The entrance, as it turned out, lead into the cellar of the building. A closed in brick room, filled with racks of scrolls, chests and other oddments, much of which, I assumed, had been stolen. I lead Élise up the stone stairs towards the closed door that lead into the house itself. I gave Élise a final look, before swinging the door open. I readied my wrist blade for an attack, but none came. We were alone.  
Élise silently gestured to the next room, and we silently made our way over. And then I heard a creak from the room above us. I smirked, we had found Hugues.  
We made our way up the flight of stairs and silently crept towards the room before us, candle light shining through the doorway.  
I glanced at my companion.  
 _It could be a trap_ , I mouthed to her silently.  
 _I know_ , came her reply.  
If someone knew that we were in the very next room they would either expect us to wait, or slowly enter through the doorway. We had to take them by surprise.  
And with that I leapt through the open door and into the room, my phantom blade unleashing its deadly dart.  
I heard a sharp cry of pain and the man before me dropped his pistol, the dart embedded in his wrist. It had been a trap after all. The man standing before us was of middling age and garbed in a brown jacket and black breeches. A cutlass hung from his left hip.  
"Monsieur Hugues, we would very much like you to answer a question," I told him, Élise walking to my side, "where can we find Madame Sophie Trenet?"  
"Do you think that you can frighten me?" René smirked and drew his sword from his side.  
"No," I replied and drew my own blade, "but you should be afraid."

The fight lasted all of a few moments, and ended with my opponent shoved up against a wall, my sword at his neck.  
"Where can we find Madame Trenet?" I growled into his face, "Start talking."  
"I won't talk."  
Élise moved to my side, "Is it really worth your life? Protecting a woman who you give you up if it meant that she would live another day?"  
Hugues looked from Élise to me, and back again.  
"Alright…" he gave in, "Let me go and I'll tell you what you wish to know."  
I let the man go and stepped back, sheathing my sword, "Now, that wasn't so hard was it?"  
"Where can we find her?" inquired Élise with a frown.  
He straightened his jacket and took a deep breath, "I fear that you will not be able to see her any time soon."  
And then I heard it, the slight rustle of a man raising his arm… and it came from above.  
A sense of foreboding came to me and I gripped the handle of my sword, my sense now on high alert. I glanced back at Monsieur Hugues, taking in the new gleam in his eye, "And why is that?"  
"Because," came a voice from above, "you will be too dead, traitor."  
I reacted instantly, grabbing Hugues by the lapels of his jacket and pulling him towards myself, encircling an arm around his throat, while my spare arm unleashed my hidden blade.  
"Stay back," I snarled, glancing about the rafters, "I doubt your Master would like Monsieur Hugues to die."  
There would have been half a dozen of them concealed above us. Even with my skills I could hardly make them out, but one thing was certain, they were all Assassins.  
Élise drew her sword and moved behind me, we were back to back.  
"Don't be too sure," came the voice again, "there are others more suited to the task of leading the thieves guild."  
And then a man clad in the garb of an Assassin dropped from the rafters and plunged his hidden blade into Monsieur Hugues exposed neck.  
I roared and my arm shot forward, my own blade catching the Assassin in the throat. But it was too late. I could only watch as René crashed to the ground, a confused look upon his face as he died.  
"Damn it!" I swore and spun around.  
Another trap.  
And then five more Assassins dropped from the rafters and surrounded us. Hidden blades snapped open all around us as we drew our swords.  
The Assassin before me glared at me with open contempt, and then charged me.  
Our blades were blurs as they came together in a ringing of steel. I had to end this quickly.  
He swung his sword at me and I deflected it to the side, spun inside his reach and smashed an elbow into his face. He cried out in pain and staggered backwards, and then my sword slipped between his ribs and into his heart. Another Assassin came at me and we exchanged a flurry of blows, he was good. I feinted right and as he moved to block the false blow, I ducked inside his defense and shoved my hidden blade into his throat. Blood erupted about me as a third Assassin attacked, both hidden blades flashing. I blocked one with my sword and one with the gauntlet of my own wrist blade, before sending a powerful kick into his chest. My attacker flew backwards and slammed into the far wall, before collapsing to the ground with a groan. Behind me Élise had finished off her last attacker, stabbing her sword though his stomach so hard that the tip erupted from his back.  
I sheathed my sword and strode over to the injured Assassin. I reached down and hauled him to his feet. So, Trenet was desperate enough to kill her own allies if it meant saving her own skin? Had she no honour? I grabbed the Assassin by the lapels of his robe and slammed him up against the wall of the room.  
"Tell your master that we are coming for her," I growled, before slamming my fist into his head.  
As he fell to the ground unconscious, I looked about the room and felt a wave of sorrow. These men had once been my brothers, and I had killed them. An image of Bellec came to my mind, but I banished it with a shake of my head.  
"Arno…" I felt a comforting hand on my arm, "we have to go."  
I looked to Élise and smiled, she was what I was fighting for. I would kill any Assassin if it meant keeping her safe.  
And then I heard it, it was barely noticeable, but it was the sound of a pistol being pulled from a holster.  
We were not alone.  
I grabbed Élise's hand and together we sprinted for the closed shutters of the window. As we leapt at the shutters I heard a pistol fire and saw the shot connect to the window frame beside me. Splinters erupted around us, and then we crashed into the window.  
Glass exploded and the shutters shattered outwards, and then we were hurtling towards the ground. I hit the grass with a roll and Élise followed suit.  
I glanced over my shoulder and saw an Assassin in the window, "Kill them!" he bellowed.  
Without waiting to see how many attackers were still around, we sprinted from the yard and into the streets of Paris.

"Split up," I called to Élise as we ran, "We'll lose them and rendezvous at the Café Théâtre."  
"Alright," came her reply, "don't get caught."  
And then she was gone, vanishing down the street.  
I glanced over my shoulder and saw four Assassins charge into the street. Without a second glance I took off, sprinting in the opposite direction to Élise. I felt a moment of worry for Élise, but she was a strong woman and my equal with a blade. She would deal with whatever challenge came her way.  
I heard a shout as the Assassins caught onto my trail. The chase was on.

I sprinted down the street, ducking and weaving through what was left of the crowd. I lead my pursuers down streets and alleys. I couldn't afford to stop for anything. I saw the crowd part before me and then I sensed it. An Assassin hidden in the crowd. I almost smiled, it was one of the Order's oldest tricks and one of our tenants; hide in plain sight. I heard the almost silent sound of a wrist blade being engaged, my instincts kicked in and I leapt to the side, the hidden blade missing me by a hairs breadth. I lashed out with my own and caught my attacker in the chin. Blood erupted about me as my attacker crashed to the ground. I glanced over my shoulder and swore. It was too late to run now; the attack had slowed me enough for my pursuers to catch up. As the gap in the crowd widened, I drew my pistol and in one fluid motion brought it up and pulled the trigger. One of the Assassins crashed to the ground with a cry of pain, the shot slamming him from his feet. Three to go. The first charged at me, hate flashing in his eyes. I moved first, throwing myself into a roll as he swung his sword. I came up inside his reach and plunged my sword into his chest. The blade erupted out his back and then I kicked him to the ground and withdrew my blood covered sword. The next two came at me together and then I was locked in a deadly duel with them, my sword and hidden blade creating a web of steel about me.  
The first Assassin fell when my sword slipped passed his defense and caught him in the stomach. He toppled over, blood seeping through his white robes. With his companion fallen, my final attacker was forced back under a rain of merciless blows. I hammered through his defense and slashed my hidden blade across his throat. I couldn't spare my former brothers the time they deserved, more would be upon me soon enough. I sheathed my sword and sped at the closest building, kicking off up the wall and pulling myself on the roof. I ran for all I was worth, I needed to get to the Café, and fast.  
A gunshot sounded to my side and a tile exploded at my feet. If not for the darkness of dusk, the shot probably would have hit me. I glanced over and saw two more Assassins coming at me, angling to cut me off. Damn it. I leapt another street and vaulted onto a slightly higher rooftop. The first man reached me, leaping up onto the same roof as me and swinging his sword. I ducked his blow and slashed my hidden blade across his now exposed chest. He grunted and crashed to the tiles. The second man was nearing me now and once more I powered into a sprint.  
I lead him across the rooftops, hoping to lose him, but he was good. And he was gaining on me.  
I heard his footsteps behind me and whipped around just in time to grab his sword arm as it swung at me. I used his momentum and spun him around, his arm tight against his back now.  
"Traitor," he spat.  
And then I plunged my hidden blade into his back, straight to his heart.  
"I'm sorry," I said sadly as he fell to his knees at my feet.  
The light in his eyes died and he toppled over.  
I closed his eyes, gave the dead Assassin a final look, and then headed to my rendezvous with Élise.  
Trenet had made her move, and made it boldly. Now we could strike back.

I met again with Élise out the front of the Café Théâtre, an establishment that I had been given by Mirabeau years earlier, one that had become a front for the Parisian Assassins. I glanced around the street, looking for the hooded robes of an Assassin, we could have been followed. Even with my heightened senses and skill set I saw nothing, we were alone. I touched Élise's arm and lead her inside the Café. She nodded and fell into step with me, neither of us speaking; anyone could be working for Trenet. Better to keep it for the safe confines of the establishment. I made sure no one was in the Café with us, and then I closed the door and bolted it.  
Élise turned and glanced at me, placing her hands on her hips, "Arno, we aren't safe here. This is an Assassin base after all."  
I nodded, "Follow me," I told her simply, leading her to the secret room under the Café, the place that I had lived for a while, and had used to store most of my possessions. At least until Élise took me to Saint-Cyr.  
I looked over at her as we entered the room, and shut the door as Élise strode through the threshold.  
She gave the place a once over, before turning to me with a wink, "Nice place."  
I grinned and nodded, "We will be safe down here."  
And then the day's events crashed down on us.  
Élise smile faltered and I saw her eyes flash angrily. She pursed her lips and folded her arms across her chest.  
"That woman has no honour," spat Élise angrily, "killing her ally to simply prove a point."  
I nodded, it was a message that Madame Trenet had sent us.  
"A warning to both our orders, a warning that she is willing to kill her own to bring us down."  
"Well she failed in that regard," Élise smirked, placing her hands on her hips, "and now the thieves are without a leader."  
"Not for long," I took a step towards her, "I'd imagine that she will blame Monsieur Hugues' death on us."  
"And will simply appoint a new head to the guild," Élise finished with a nod, "one that will be out for blood, now that René is dead."  
"And we have another problem on our hands," I said seriously, "how did Madame Trenet know to send her men to Hugues' residence?"  
A dark look came over Élise's face, one that would have been mirrored in my own eyes, "We have a traitor," she murmured, "but who? Marius was the only other Templar present when we discussed our plan. And I know that it wasn't him who could have turned on us, after all, Trenet would never talk with one of us."  
I nodded solemnly; Monsieur DeCuir was a good, honourable man.  
"It can't have been Bonnaire," I replied thoughtfully, "and I doubt that Madame Trenet would trust either of the Italians, seeing as they came to our aide."  
"Then who? No one else was present."  
"I know."  
I thought for a few moments in silence, before turning to Élise, a grim expression on my face, "It would have had to have been an Assassin. And aside from those present while we made our plan, almost half of our Assassins were in the villa. Master Beylier and a dozen others."  
Élise looked at me thoughtfully, "I doubt it was Beylier, he follows those in command without a second thought," she shook her head, "No, he would have followed Master Bonnaire."  
It was true; Master Beylier lacked what it would take to turn on us.  
"We should keep this between us," I told Élise, "if somehow the traitor came to know of us finding out, it could put us in a tight position."  
"Quite… we will need to lure him into the open then."  
I nodded, "Until we discover the identity of our traitor we must keep our plans to ourselves."  
"That could make him suspicious," Élise frowned, "if we suddenly stop revealing our plans to your Brotherhood, then he may believe we are onto him."  
Damn it, she was right.  
I shook my head, "Of course… we must go about things in the same way then. However, do not tell anyone, save Marius and myself about how close you are behind Master Quemar."  
Élise crossed her arms, and rolled her eyes, "Arno, I know that," she replied, sarcasm lacing her voice.  
I chuckled, watching as she looked about the Café.  
It brought back memories about our first meeting within these walls, shortly after I had been tricked into killing Élise's last known supporter within the Order by Germain almost five years ago.  
It was in that moment, despite everything that had happened, the death of Monsieur de la Serre and my imprisonment in the Bastille, that Élise had forgiven me for my part in her father's death, for not handing him the letter that could have saved his life, and had put her trust in me again.  
Élise smiled and took my hand, obviously remembering that moment. I suppose that day had been the first where we had truly chosen each other, by breaking the centuries old traditions of our orders, and working together. An Assassin and a Templar.  
"So, what are you going to do about this place," Élise gestured about the room, "being a front for the Assassins, now that Sophie Trenet has made her move. No doubt she will wish to claim it."  
I nodded, it had been on my mind for some time, "We cannot use it anymore, and I won't give it up to Trenet…" a thought came to me and I chuckled, "perhaps Napoleon would purchase the Café."  
Élise laughed, a smile breaking out on her face, "Oh of course…"  
I grinned, Élise wasn't just my wife, she was my best friend.  
I looped a hand around her back and then we kissed.  
We were being hunted by Assassins, had a traitor within the Brotherhood itself and…  
Sod it, I just kissed her.  
After a moment we broke apart and she gazed into my eyes, "We should go, before we are missed."  
But she didn't budge, and with a cocky smile Élise stepped into my arms again and once more our lips met.

iv

Not two days later a member from the thieves guild that Élise had helped arrived at the La Serre villa in Paris. Clad in the same dirty brown garb that members of his guild favoured, the thief arrived in a hurry, eager to pass on his message.  
"We have discovered where our rivals have been storing their gold," the thief told us with a grin that went from ear to ear "it's just sitting there, waiting to be taken."  
I felt a spark ignite in my chest, if the thieves lost their gold storage, they would be severely damaged, perhaps even enough to turn the tide.  
Élise placed her hands on the table before us and leaned towards the thief, a confident look in her eyes, "Tell us."  
The man looked at me for a moment and nodded, before pulling out a roughly drawn map from his pocket, "One of our most skilled agents has managed to infiltrate our rivals guild," the thief ran his hand over the map, before resting his index finger over what had been an abandoned store house, that is, until an unknown benefactor had purchased the place three years ago and had turned it into a forge.  
"This is the place."  
"By your being here," I started thoughtfully, "I take it that you want our help to liberate the store."  
He nodded, "Yes, Monsieur. We aren't as many as the other guild, and we will need someone who has been trained to deal with any men that they have guarding the stash," he glanced at us, a grin breaking out once more.  
I glanced at Élise and grinned, "So this is their main store… and by liberating it, we will in effect break the other guild to the point where you could stand against them."  
The thief nodded again, "It is true, our enemy holds the upper hand for now, but if we take this," he gestured to the forge again, "we will stand a far better chance at defeating them."  
"That settles it then," said Élise, "we move tonight."  
I looked to her and raised an eyebrow, "Aren't you forgetting something?"  
She looked at me a moment and then rolled her eyes, "The inductions…"  
I chuckled, she had forgotten about the men who were to be inducted into her own Order, and she clearly wished to come on the raid.  
"No matter. I'm sure that you can handle this one alone, Arno."  
"Of course I can," I gave her a cocky grin, before turning to the thief, "so, when do we strike?"  
The man nodded, before planting a finger on a building opposite that of the forge, "We are assembling here at nine o'clock."  
"I'll be there."

Barely five minutes passed nine o'clock, I silently made my way across the street to the forge, everything that Bellec and the other Assassins had taught me kicking in. I glanced to my side where my companion walked, a half amused smile playing on his lips. He sent me a confident grin, Michel had been one of my foremost supporters when I had rejoined the Brotherhood last year and since then, the younger man had been a constant companion. We didn't make a sound as we made our approach, and I doubted whether our opponents inside the forge even knew of our presence. I reached the wall of the forge and clambered up the side to a window, I had to do this quickly. I activated my hidden blade with a snick and slid it up the gap between the two glass panels. The lock broke and I pulled myself inside without making a sound. I dropped to the floor and stalked down the hallway, taking in the dimly lit building. Michel came in behind me and with a gesture, we split up.  
I could hear the sound of a hammer on an anvil, and the stink of metal and sweat came to my nose. A thief was leaning over the balcony before me, looking down into the forge itself. I crept up behind him and made my move, my right hand covering his mouth, my left encircling his throat. He gasped behind my hand and then he lost consciousness. I slowly lowered him to the ground before glancing over the railing to the ground floor.  
A man in the leather apron of a blacksmith was hammering away at a lump of steel, while another two thieves watched him lazily.  
I heard a whistling sound and threw myself backwards into a backwards roll. I came to my feet and saw a knife embedded into the railing where I had just been. That had been far too close.  
I glanced to the right and saw a thief coming at me, a knife held backhanded.  
He charged at me with a snarl, and I praised the sound of hammer on anvil, completely masking the thief's cry or alarm.  
I moved to face him and braced my feet.  
The man swung his knife at me and I reacted instantly. I caught his wrist, spun inside his reach and threw him over my shoulder into a wall. He bellowed and came at me again, rising to his feet, just in time…  
To receive my boot to the face.  
He crashed back to the ground, this time senseless.  
I spun back just in time to see another man come towards me, his knife stabbing at my chest.  
I stepped back, the blade narrowly missing my ribs. I caught his arm as his lunge took him passed me, before I slammed him into the wall, breaking his grip on the blade.  
The knife fell to the ground and the man twisted in my grasp, sending his spare elbow into by stomach. I grunted and let him go, taking a step back. My opponent spat out a glob of blood and smirked.  
This was going to be fun.  
This time I didn't wait for him to move, seeking to take him by surprise.  
And then another knife appeared in his hand.  
I activated by right hidden blade and lashed out.  
Steel met steel, and then I slide my blade down his. My blade sliced across his knuckles, making him drop the knife with a grunt. I followed up my attack my rotating my hips and slamming my elbow into his face. He staggered backwards and I lashed out with a high kick.  
It caught him in the chest and he crashed to the ground and I winced as his head hit the floorboards. I waited for a moment but he didn't rise, but he was breathing. Good.  
And with that I made my way back to the forge and glanced over the railing.  
No one had heard the commotion it would seem.  
I watched where the three men beneath me were standing.  
One thief had his back to me at the moment, but if I descended from the stairs, all three men would be able to see me. Thee on one, not good odds, and I couldn't risk non-lethal blows this time. I had one option, to take them by surprise.  
I vaulted the railing and dropped down behind the thief, my hidden blade erupting and plunging into the back of the man's neck. He crashed to the ground with a splutter and I rose back to my full height, my left arm outstretched, already unleashing the dart from my phantom blade. It caught the second thief in the throat, sending him to the stone floor. The blacksmith had heard the sound of his companion hitting the paving stones and he span towards me, his hammer firmly in his grasp.  
With an outraged bellow he charged towards me.  
I waited until he swung his vicious hammer, before ducking the blow, spinning inside his long reach, and punching my hidden blade into his ribs. He toppled over with a grunt, the hammer falling from his grasp.  
I took a moment to compose myself before striding further into the forge, now empty of opponents.  
The sound of a gun being primed came to my ears and I twirled around, my eyes peering around the workshop. A thief stood on the balcony, a musket held in his hands and leveled at my chest. He would only have one shot to kill me, but then again, I would only have one chance to avoid the bullet. I was just about to leap to the side when a sword erupted out from the thief's chest, blood covering its tip. The thief's eyes bulged in surprise as the gun dropped from his nerveless fingers and he sank to the ground. Michel stood behind him, and sent me a nod as he withdrew his sword and sheathed it, before vaulting the railing and walking to my side with a grin on his face.  
"And the apprentice finally gets to save the master," he chuckled.  
I clapped a hand on his shoulder and laughed, "You say that as if he could have actually hit me."  
He laughed again and then gestured to the far wall, "What's that?"  
I noticed a symbol, the same as that from René Hugues' residence.  
"Careless fools…" I smirked, "That, Michel, is our way into the vault."  
I turned the symbol to the right and a section of the wall slid sideways, revealing a huge store of gold, weapons, jewelry and other oddments. My breath caught in my mouth, I had never seen so much wealth in one place before, let alone in the dank secret basement of a forge.  
Michel whistled, "The thieves are supposed to help the poor, and yet they have all this?"  
"It would appear that Madame Trenet isn't the only one to have lost her way," I replied, before giving my companion a grin, "come, let us 'liberate' this and give it back to the poor where it belongs."  
I turned away from the store and shook my head with a grin, before walking to the main entrance and lifting the locking bar out of its place. I dropped the wooden bar and pulled the doors open. The doors barely made a noise as they swung back on their hinges, and then my allies entered.  
There would have been half a dozen of them, all with huge sacks slung over their shoulders, waiting to be filled with gold.  
I heard the sounds of a carriage stop outside and then another thief strode in.  
Good, they had brought something to carry all the gold… judging by the amount of treasure in the horde, we'll need it.  
One of the men tossed me a sack with a grin, "Nice work, Assassin. Now let's clear this place down to the bedrock."

I arrived back at the La Serre villa a few hours later, after finally, we had transported the last of the treasure horde back to the den of the thieves. I made my way upstairs and started to make my way towards mine and Élise's bedchamber, that is, until I noticed the gathering in the room below. I walked quietly to the edge and peered over the railing into the room below.  
Élise stood at the head of a table, with Marius and a few other members of her Order standing around the sides of the long table. A black robe trimmed with crimson was tied at her throat, the ends of it trailing on the floorboards. Opposite her stood three men garbed in the blue of French soldiers, their golden handled swords presented on the table before them.  
This was the initiation of the new recruits in the Templar Order.  
I started to move away when my curiosity got the better of me and I peered over the railing once more.  
Élise stepped forwards and indicated the three men before her, "Michel Ney, Joachim Murat, Guillaume Brune," her voice rose, loud but calm. And was it pride I heard? "Do you swear to uphold the principles of our Order and all that for which we stand?"  
"I do," replied the three men together.  
"And to never share or divulge the true nature of our work?" Élise continued.  
"I do."  
"And to do so from now until death, whatever the cost?"  
"I do."  
Élise gestured to them, pride written all over her face, "Then we welcome you into our fold, brothers," she nodded to Marius who strode forward and presented the recruits with Templar pins. Once they had pinned the red crosses on the lapels of their jackets, Élise continued, "You are now Templars, harbingers of a new world."  
She glanced around at all the assembled Templars before continuing, "May the Father of Understanding guide us."  
The Templars echoed the motto of their Order and then the newest members retrieved their swords from the table and sheathed them.  
So that was that, I had just bore witness to not one but _three_ Templars being inducted into the Order. I realized that I may well have been the first ever Assassin to witness such an event, being that Shay had already left the Brotherhood before joining their ranks.  
It was a much simpler way of induction that that of the Assassins.  
I chuckled as I walked to my bedchambers and removed my sword belt; it had been an interesting day.

5 May 1795

i

I walked hand in hand with Élise through the Cimetière des Innocents. The place brought back painful memories; my father, Bellec, Julie de la Serre and then the real reason we were here.  
It had been six years to the day since François de la Serre had been murdered.  
I squeezed Élise hand as I saw a tear slide down her cheek. However hard this was for me, it would have been ten thousand times worse for her.  
She held a clutch of flowers tightly in her spare hand; white roses, the kind that the de la Serre family had grown in their chateau in Versailles.  
I barely noticed the graves on either side of the path as we walked towards the site where François was buried. I felt a lump form in my throat as Élise let go of my hand and walked towards the grave stone bearing the names of both François and Julie de la Serre. Élise deserved some time alone with them, so I stood back on the path as Élise knelt before the grave and placed her flowers before it.  
I felt my eyes moisten slightly and I whipped away a tear that had begun sliding down my cheek.  
Monsieur de la Serre had been the one who had saved me after my own father had been killed, the one who had led me from his still warm body and taken me in as his own son.  
He had been my savior to me and had become like a father, teaching me swordplay and hunting among other things. He had shown an orphan love, when I had had no one to turn too.  
And yes, while I had caused my fair share of mischief with Élise when we were children, I had also seen his smile when he hadn't thought we were looking after he had made us promise not to do it again.  
And yes, we had never listened to that part, but I think seeing me with Élise, just a pair of children made him as happy as it did me.  
François had been there when things had gone remiss, especially when I had 'grown up'.  
I smiled, he had stopped the gendarmes from being alerted to every time I had been involved in a tavern brawl and yes, every time I had something that wouldn't have been considered 'lawful'. The last of which was when a man had 'won' my father's pocket watch by cheating at a card game, and me in all my wisdom, had seen fit to liberate it from his house.  
François had been a true father to me, more so than Bellec and more recently Shay. And by law I was his son now. The though filled me with pride.  
We had shared a bond that went deeper than family.  
I sadly smiled and watched as Élise turned her head and smiled back at me, her eyes moist.  
I went and crouched beside her, and looked at the gravestone before me. I felt tears prickle my eyes once more as I remembered the man who had taken my own father's place.  
I reached out and placed my own flowers beside the ones that Élise had brought.  
Beneath Monsieur de la Serre's name, Julie's was etched into the stone.  
And while I had never know her as well as François, with her being bedridden for most of my time with the family, she had shown me kindness and the warmth of a motherly love, which before my adoption, I had never had before.  
I looked at Élise and smiled, she had brought together the best of her parents.  
I grasped her and she turned her head, looking me in the eyes now.  
"You would have made them proud," I told her, remembering everything that François and Julie had hoped to accomplish. Élise had taken those wishes and was striving to make those wishes a reality.  
She smiled and I saw happiness in her eyes.  
I wrapped an arm around her waist as she rested her head on my shoulder.  
I closed my eyes, remembering a time when the four of us had been together, a family.  
And I smiled.

ii

A lot had happened in the weeks following the death of René Hugues. The royalists had been gathering support and there were rumours that they had backing from England, among other nations. It was worrying to say the least, if the royalists gained power once more, things would return to as they had been, with the noble classes forcing poverty on those beneath them. That was something that we could not allow.  
With the death of Hugues, and with the Templars and our own Assassins supporting a rival thieves guild, we had sparked a war between the two factions of thieves. One group backing Madame Trenet, the other giving us aide. Meanwhile the Italians, Alessa and Dante Lucian, had been crippling Trenet's spy network, giving them false information while at the same time destroying it, eliminating one spy at a time.  
Slowly but surely we were cutting off Madame Trenet's supply line and cutting out her eyes and ears.  
As Élise would put it, Trenet's support was evaporating faster than the snows in April.  
One problem remained however. We hadn't found out the identity of our traitor. Not yet at least.

The thoughts of the traitor left my mind as I glanced to where Élise was seated beside me in the carriage, wrapped up in an emerald dress. I grinned as I remembered her annoyance at having to dress like a 'pampered lady of the courts', even if it was for deception. I adjusted the cuff of my black jacket, taking care to make sure that my hidden blade was out of sight. Tonight was important, very important. We were attending a royalist gathering, a soirée of sorts, being held in the honour of their impending 'defeat' of the revolutionaries. Arrogant as usual.  
I looked over at my wife as she gave her dagger a last look before tucking it away within the folds of her dress. The man we were looking for tonight went by the name of Jacques de Coux, a man who Élise's Templar agents had discovered, supplied arms to Hervé Quemar – Master Hervé Quemar of the Assassins.  
I glanced out the window of the carriage, the lights of the street lamps coving the street in an eerie glow. A large villa came into sight, we were almost there.  
"I think that it is time to introduce ourselves to Monsieur de Coux."  
Élise nodded back to me with a smile, "If we can get to Quemar, Trenet is as good as finished."  
She was right, we had ruined her alliance with the thieves, were destroying her network of spies and were about to interrogate her arms dealer, who would no doubt cease to supply her arms after tonight. And if we could attain Master Quemar's location and bring him to justice, then Madame Trenet would have very little support left at all.  
"As you say," I grinned, "this party is going to be interesting."  
"Quite… the mere fact that the royalists are gathering to celebrate _winning_ the war when they are the ones on the wrong foot is beyond me," Élise smirked, "still, it does give us a chance to locate Quemar and perhaps even discover the identity of this traitor of ours."  
That was my hope as well. If we could attain our betrayer's name from Master Quemar, Trenet's downfall would be so much the swifter.  
I reached into my coat and pulled out our invitations to the party, invitations that I had 'acquired' from their previous owners not two days ago.  
"Are you ready?" I said, a note of sarcasm in my voice, "Madame Marie Lapierre."  
Élise laughed, "Are you? Monsieur Alexandre Lapierre."  
I chuckled; we really were two sides of the same coin.  
And then the coachman opened the door and I stepped to the ground, taking in our surrounds. I glanced up at the villa before me. It was larger than I had thought it would be, four stories tall to be exact. Light shone from the various windows, casting the villa in brilliant golden light.  
I helped Élise from the carriage and tossed the coachman a few gold coins, and then we were on our way, striding up the stone path to the villa itself.  
Three blue garbed soldiers stood guard at the entrance, checking the invitations so that no unwelcome guests could gain entrance. Lucky for us, our documents were real.  
I handed the invitation to the officer, "Monsieur and Madame Lapierre."  
The soldier looked over the invitation briefly, checking its authenticity. After a moment he nodded, "Everything is in order, Monsieur."  
He looked over his shoulder, "Let them through."  
And just like that we were in.

The ballroom was tightly packed with nobles and high ranking officials, who walked about the room with a look of haughty distain, the look so many of their class were seemingly born with. The women stood in small groups, covered in powders and spreading their usual gossip. I sighed, did they ever learn? They were so obsessed with looks and the latest fashion that they had ignored the unprivileged to the point of revolution. I glanced over at Élise and smiled. Like her mother, Élise was nothing like those pampered and preening women. Neither of them had the time for powders and other cosmetics, neither of them cared for the so called 'latest fashion' and gossip, preferring swordplay to patronizing over those beneath them in the social ladder. It was no wonder that Élise did not get on in the slightest with women from the nobility.  
And yet tonight she would have to make conversation with these preening women, and how she hated it.  
We parted ways, Élise moving over to a group of women, while I moved to make conversation with the men. I looked over at the men before me with their self satisfied, patronizing looks. No doubt they were looking for ways to add to their wealth and power without risking their reputations or lives.  
This was going to be a long night.

At last the orchestra started to play, and once more I met with Élise, finally able to talk in private as I spun her around the ballroom.  
"Thank God," she whispered into me ear, "one more moment hearing about the latest scandals and fashions, and I may well have killed someone."  
I grinned; Élise was as fiery as ever.  
"I must say, that sounds simply thrilling," I replied sarcastically.  
"Don't even start," she said with a grin, before looking about the room. "Did you find out anything useful?"  
I shook my head, "Nothing except that Monsieur de Coux will be arriving late this evening, something about someone trying to steal from his stores." I spun Élise in a circle, "What about you?"  
Élise chortled, "If those air-headed women even know who Monsieur de Coux is, I will be very surprised."  
I grinned, "So there is nothing to be done for the mean time… perhaps I shouldn't let me keep you from your new friends."  
"Don't you dare even think about it," she replied, glaring up at me.  
"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it, Madame."  
We danced for a long time, long enough for us to nearly forget why we were at the villa in the first place. Nearly.  
And then Monsieur Jacques de Coux came striding into the ballroom.

He was a small man, who all the same carried himself with a dignified grace. He looked about forty, his long black hair tied back with a red ribbon, the colour of his jacket. He had the bearing of a soldier, and if the rumours were true, then he had once served in the military.  
I kept an eye on him as we spun about the ballroom, waiting for the opportune moment.  
We would have moments to do what had to be done.  
If we slipped up here, then we may not get another chance at Quemar for months.  
But we were prepared. After all, an Assassin questions everything _but_ himself.  
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. The power that Bellec had shown me years before flooded my body and then I connected to it, letting eagle sense lock onto Monsieur de Coux.  
I parted with Élise once more as two are more easily detected than one.  
Besides which, we had a plan.  
With my eagle sense locked on my target, finding him, even through the large crowd, posed no problem.  
Slowly I made my way through the throng of people, getting closer and closer to my target.  
I reached him.  
Now to draw him away from his companions.  
"Monsieur de Coux?" I gave the man a small bow as he turned to face me, "Monsieur Quemar sent me with a message."  
An irritated looked flashed across his face, before he bid his companions _au revior,_ and then followed me through the ballroom. It was all going to plan.  
"Forgive me, Monsieur," he said, "but I did not catch your name."  
"Of course, how remiss of me. My name is Alexandre Lapierre, at your service."  
He nodded thoughtfully as I lead him from the room and down an empty corridor, before ushering him into a private study.  
He followed me in and I closed the wooden door.  
Élise stood before us, her arms tightly crossed and smirking at de Coux.  
"What is this?" he asked, turning to face me.  
And then I leapt forward, my left hand covering his mouth, my right grabbing the lapels of his jacket and throwing him onto the large table before us.  
"Scream and you're a dead man," I told him.  
I let it sink in and removed my hand.  
"My name is Arno Dorian, and there are some things that we would like answered," I glared into his face, "Monsieur."

Élise strode to my side, her knife clutched in her hands, "Where is Quemar?"  
"Touch me and you're dead," was his only response, "both of you."  
I looked to Élise and shook my head. The arrogance of nobles was astonishing.  
"We don't have much time," I told him, venom lacing my voice, "where is Hervé Quemar?"  
"He told me about you, Monsieur Dorian," he glanced at Élise, "the Templar loving Assassin… and you must be Élise de la Serre."  
Élise shook her head in exasperation, before slamming her knife into the table beside de Coux's head, "Now that we have all made each other's acquaintance, tell us what we wish to know."  
Jacques simply glared at us with open contempt, clearly waiting for us to be discovered. It wouldn't be long now.  
"This is your final chance, Monsieur," I warned the man.  
Jacques de Coux's weapons had been the death of many innocent people. What would come next would give me no guilt.  
In reply he smirked, "You will get nothing from me."  
And that was it.  
I glared back into his eyes, "Don't be too sure."  
A part of me winced at what was to come next, but we had to end this war. I masked my face and balled my hand into a fist by my side. I let out a deep breath and glanced at Élise briefly, who gave me a short nod.  
And with that, I slammed my fist into his stomach.

I tossed the man to the ground while Élise strode over to the door to make sure that we weren't interrupted by the untimely arrival of a guard.  
De Coux rose to his feet and swung a punch at me. I deflected the blow with my forearm, before hammering a blow of my own into his gut. He grunted in pain and doubled over, giving me the opportunity to send a knee into his chest. He flew backwards and crashed into the wall. Jacques lurched for a moment, before coming at me with an animal like roar. I blocked another blow, before sending a right hook into his nose. It broke with a crack and a red mist filled the air.  
I grabbed his collar again, "Where is Quemar?"  
"I don't know…" he stammered.  
I looked to Élise who shook her head, and then I activated my hidden blade with a flick of my wrist. We could be discovered at any moment and I couldn't let him live to tell his employers about us.  
"Wait," de Coux cried as he saw my blade appear, "wait… I don't know where he resides, but I deliver my wares to him in a warehouse by the Seine… that's all I know."  
I nodded and flexed my wrist, disengaging my blade and stepped back from de Coux.  
He hurriedly gave us the directions to the warehouse and told us that another shipment of weaponry was arriving tonight.  
"This had better not be a lie," said Élise, glaring down at the man, "if it is, we will find you again."  
He nodded and clutched his broken nose.  
"We have to go," I said, looking to Élise, "this could be our only chance to get Quemar."  
"What are we waiting for then?" she said with a smile, burying the knife back in the folds of her dress.  
And then we left the room, heading back to our carriage.  
We needed to get to the warehouse before it was too late.

iii

The coachman's eyes boggled as we hopped out of the carriage. The man and woman before him were not the same as the ones he had picked up from the villa. I had removed the suit in favour of my Assassin garb, while Élise had shed her dreaded dress in exchange for her breeches, waist coat and frock coat. We buckled on our weapons and I tossed a coin to the coachman, " _Merci_."  
He gave us a confused nod, before pocketing the coin and bidding us goodnight.  
The warehouse the Monsieur de Coux had told us about was just down the end of the lane, not three blocks away. The street was lit by the lamps, which shone eerily, hardly piercing the foggy veil that shrouded the city.  
"Tonight will be the last that Madame Trenet sleeps well."  
"And the last night that Quemar will see," added Élise with a calm confidence, "Let's go."  
I nodded, and then we jogged towards the warehouse, our purpose clear.  
Tonight we took down Master Quemar.

We entered the warehouse though a side door that I had lock picked moments before. No light shone in the warehouse, and the smell of recently extinguished torches wafted my way. Straight away I felt a tingle in my spine, something felt wrong. Master Quemar was a smart man; he had attained the rank of Master after all. No doubt he would have prepared in case on an eventual attack. And then a sensed it, a movement coming from my left. I reacted immediately, spinning around, my hidden blades erupting from their sheathes. There was a clash of steel as I deflected a sword aimed at my throat. I lashed out with my second blade and caught my attacker in the chest. He staggered back a step and then crashed to the ground, his hood falling back from his ears. It was an Assassin that I knew. I shook my head to clear it and then looked to Élise. They would know of our presence. We drew our swords and pistols, and then we moved further into the warehouse.  
I heard the sound of a blade spinning through the air and I leaned back, a thrown knife flashing passed my face. Élise's pistol boomed beside me and I heard a grunt of pain, before the sound of a body hitting the floor boards. Élise moved to my side and holstered her now empty pistol.  
"So, you have finally come to seek me out," called a voice that I instantly recognized, the same one that had banished me from the Brotherhood. It belonged to Quemar.  
"Show yourself," I replied, gesturing for Élise to split up from me so that we could surround our opponent.  
"I think not," came Quemar's reply, "Kill him."  
I heard the whistle of air, and without a second thought, stepped backward and lashed above myself with my sword.  
My blade connected with something heavy, and then the body of an Assassin hit the ground before me.  
Blood covered my sword and I stepped back, looking at my victim. By sword had caught him in the thigh and had cut a ragged line across his body to his throat.  
I glanced up once more, searching for any more attackers.  
And then someone lit the torches once more, and light shone, casting the room in an orange glow.  
Four Assassins stood between myself and Master Quemar.  
Four of my former brothers.  
And four who had to die.  
"There can never be peace with the Templars," called Master Quemar angrily, "these delusions of yours go against everything that we Assassins fight for."  
"If you mean that making peace with an ancient enemy to create a better world is a fantasy, then yes, I suppose I am delusional," I replied sarcastically, "but look at what we have achieved so far."  
"You damned fool," Quemar gestured towards me and nodded to his men.  
They strode towards me in silence, their swords coming out of their sheaths with barely a sound.  
The first swung his sword and as I parried, I swiveled around and pulled the trigger of my pistol. The gunshot echoed around the warehouse and one of my other attackers crumpled to the ground with a bloody hole in his chest. I dropped my pistol and engaged my left wrist blade, spinning as another Assassin made his move. I weaved in and out of the fight, fending off attacks from every side. I dodged a slash and then rolled away from my attackers, giving me a moment to breathe. They were all on one side now, a wall at my back. Good, now they couldn't surround me.  
One of them attacked again with a snarl, his sword flashing towards my chest in a lunge. I sidestepped and deflected the sword to the ground with my own, before stepping inside his reach and punching my hidden blade into his stomach. He fell with a gasp, blood pouring from his wound. The next two came at me together, forcing me back. My sword and wrist blade were blurs before me as I fended them off, and then at last I broke through their defense and sliced my sword across one of my attacker's throats. Blood erupted from his wound as he crashed to the floor. My back was once more at the wall now as I fought my last attacker. We exchanged a flurry of blows before I knocked his sword to the side, spun around, kicked off the warehouse wall, and plunged my own sword into his chest. I crashed into him, sending him to the ground with me on top. I came to my feet and ripped my sword free, panting.  
Before me Quemar's face had paled slightly, "Well done… traitor."  
He drew his sword and three more Assassins materialized at his side.  
"You are the true traitor, Quemar," I replied angrily. How dare he of all people accuse me of being a traitor?  
"You are a damned Templar lover, boy," he spat, glaring at me with contempt.  
"That I am," I smirked and shrugged, "and I won't apologize for it."  
That had annoyed him. He gazed at me, hatred written all over his expression.  
And then he drew his pistol.  
"Don't think that I will regret killing you like this," he told me triumphantly, "you don't deserve the honour of death by the sword."  
He raised his gun and leveled it at my chest.  
It was now or never Élise.  
And then a knife flew out of the darkness and embedded itself into Quemar's wrist, sending the pistol spinning out of its owner's grasp.  
With a cry Élise charged towards the Assassins, her sword flashing. She deflected an attack, before catching the Assassin across the throat with a lightning fast back slash. The second Assassin charged her with a roar, the third following closely at his heels, and then steel met steel.  
I engaged by hidden blade once more and leapt at Quemar, sword and wrist blade flashing.

The Assassin Master was good, but he was injured, and he wasn't as young as he used to be. I danced around him, my sword inflicting small wounds each time it caught him. It may not have been the most honourable way to fight, but I had learnt the hard way not to take chances. I knocked his sword to the side and sliced my hidden blade across his chest, blood erupted as my blade easily cut through his Assassin robes. He staggered back with a cry of pain and I lashed out with my sword. It connected with his own weapon. I swiveled my blade around his own in a lighting fast move and sent it spinning from his hand. I dropped my sword and leapt into the air, my hidden blade engaging. And then I landed on top of the Assassin and plunged my wrist blade into his stomach.  
Blood seeped from his mouth; I must have hit something vital. I didn't have much time.  
"Who is the traitor?"  
Quemar mumbled something and gazed at me with a blank expression.  
"Tell me!" I bellowed. I had to know.  
He shook his head, "You are the traitor…"  
And then the last of his life blood slipped away, and he died.  
I closed his eyes and stood up, looking over at Élise as she sheathed her sword.  
"Damn it," I swore.  
We had had this one chance to be rid of the traitor and I had failed.  
Élise picked up my sword and handed it to me, "Arno, it's alright. We'll find another lead," she stepped towards me, "we will bring the traitor to justice."  
"I know, it's just… we were so close."  
"I know," she replied, "but you just killed Quemar, Madame Trenet's second in command. Without him she will be at a loss."  
I took a deep breath and nodded, "We should head back to your family's villa, Bonnaire will want to know of this."  
And with that, we left the warehouse, headed for the de la Serre villa.

iv 

I strode into the La Serre family villa with Élise at my side. I glanced at Élise, noticing the amount of dirt and blood – not her own- that covered her garb. No doubt I would be similarly covered in blood and grime. It would be good to wash the foul smell from my body and clothing, and to get some rest, God knows, we both needed it. The large doors boomed shut behind us and I reached into my pocket, withdrawing my pocket watch. It was passed midnight, later than even I had anticipated. Even so, he had accomplished what we had set out to achieve.  
"Arno? Where have you been?"  
Julien Bonnaire descended the flight of stairs before coming to a halt before us. The Mentor nodded to Élise, "Madame de la Serre…" he noticed the blood on our clothes, "what happened?"  
I took a deep breath, "Master Quemar is dead."  
" _What?_ " disbelief was written all over the Mentor's face as he took in my words.  
Élise nodded, "We acquired invitations to the royalist ball after my agents discovered that a man working for Monsieur Quemar would be in attendance."  
The Assassin Mentor looked at the pair of us thoughtfully, and I could see his mind racing, "Continue."  
"After making the acquaintance of Monsieur de Coux," I replied, a smile tugging on the corners of my lips, "we were able to discover the place that he was supplying Master Quemar with weaponry."  
"And naturally, you went in."  
Élise replied with a cocky smile, "Naturally, Monsieur. In one move we were able to eliminate Madame Trenet's Lieutenant-"  
"And stop her arms supply," I finished with a grin.  
Élise gave me a sidelong smile, "It all worked out rather well, didn't it?"  
"That it did."  
Everything had gone perfectly, despite failing to uncover the identity of the traitor.  
Bonnaire chuckled, before ushering us into one of the side rooms that he was using as his office. He pulled out three glasses and filled them with wine, before handing them to us, "You are to be congratulated," he said, "both of you."  
I nodded to the leader of the Assassins, despite not attaining the name of the traitor within our Order; we had accomplished a lot that night.  
Master Bonnaire raised his glass, "To the swift conclusion of this war."  
"And to peace," said Élise, a glint in her eyes, "for Assassin and Templar alike."  
"To friendship," I added, and then together we downed our drinks.

I was walking with Élise back through the villa when we heard a commotion at the doors, and then Marius burst in, his face pale. This wasn't good.  
"Madame Grand Master," he called, worry etched all over his face as he looked around, searching for Élise, "Madame de la Serre!"  
She glanced at me with worry, "I'm here."  
We ran over to Monsieur DeCuir who was panting, he must have run to the villa.  
"Still yourself Marius," Élise told him as the man composed himself, "what happened?"  
"There… there were attacks," he stammered.  
"What?" Élise paled visibly, before shooting me a sidelong glance, "who?"  
"The Assassins," he replied, looking at me.  
"What?" I stepped towards the man, "I swear we had nothing to do with this."  
Marius nodded, at last getting his breath back, "They managed to locate many within our Order…"  
"How many?" asked Élise quietly.  
I hardly dared breathe, this could endanger our alliance.  
"Almost twenty."  
Élise swore, "And how many yet live?"  
"Less than a dozen."  
We were silent for a moment as the words sank in.  
 _Merde_. That would be a major blow against Élise's Order. Besides which, dead Templars at the hands of the Assassins would not do down well with our ally.  
"Those with a military background seemed to be on guard… But they even tried to kill Davout at the Rhine. Aside from Monsieur Davout only nine lived. Among them are Joachim Murat, Michel Ney and Guillaume Brune, all three recently inducted."  
"How many injured?" I inquired, waving my arms in exasperation.  
"Only Monsieur Ney received minor wounds, of the others, they were all unharmed," he looked at us again, clearly not wanting to finish his sentence, "And…"  
Élise shook her head, "And what?" she stepped towards her lieutenant, "Marius…"  
"Davout has been talking."  
Élise glanced at me, and I could see the worry in her eyes.  
"Continue," Élise crossed her arms, "what has Louis-Nicolas Davout been saying?"  
Monsieur DeCuir was quite for a moment, before reluctantly continuing, "He has been saying that this was brought upon us by our peace with the Assassins, that you are to blame for this, Madame de la Serre."  
"I see… and have many been listening?"  
"Some," came the reply, the reply that I had been dreading, "About half have voiced their agreement, but most will come around once they have time to properly think."  
"And the rest of my Order?"  
My breath caught in my mouth.  
Could this be the end of the alliance that we had worked so hard to build?  
"It is hard to say just yet," Marius said after a few moments, "but from what I gather, most blame Madame Trenet for the disaster, and not yourself."  
I almost heaved a sigh of relief.  
Élise closed her eyes and shook her head, "Thank God. I can only hope that they remain true to our cause. Trenet is our enemy, not the Assassins."  
"Yes, Grand Master."  
Élise looked to her lieutenant, her eyes gleaming. She had an idea. "Fetch some quills and paper, Marius. There are some letters that we must send to the members of our Order."  
"Of course," he turned to go, "may I ask, what is it?"  
"Hervé Quemar is dead. Killed not by one of us, but by Arno," she looked at me with a smile, and it dawned on me.  
I grinned as she finished, "an Assassin."  
That would help our cause.

10 June 1795

i

I ran a finger over the map before me, in the month following Quemar's death it had become obvious that Madame Trenet and her Assassins were struggling. That attacks on us and our Templar allies had almost stopped, the thieves guild that had been backing her cause had lost almost half its territory to the rival faction. Things were starting to look good for our cause. Élise stood to my side and Freddie Weatherall sat on his chair, his crutches leaning on the wall beside him as we planned out another raid on the thieves guild.  
I heard a knock on the door and glanced up to see the Italians enter. As usual, Dante appeared laid back and had a spark in his eyes, while Alessa gave off the same quiet but cocky expression with her lips slightly upturned.  
"Arno," grinned an excited Dante Lucian, "We have found something."  
I peered at the man and raised an eyebrow, what had the twins discovered?  
Beside him, Alessa sighed and shook her head, "What my idiot brother means to say is that we have found one of the grain stores belonging to the royalists."  
"There is a small city here," Dante chuckled and planted a finger on the map before us on the table, "on the outskirts lies a smaller still farming settlement, and word has it that the royalists have been taking as much as they can from the farmers, pushing those with nothing further into the dirt."  
Mr Weatherall rose to his feet, his crutches clacking on the floor, "That city is called Lannion."  
"You know of it?" inquired Élise with a slight smile.  
"Aye, I have friends who live in the place," he glanced up at me, "Lannion is a small city, barely more than three thousand people living there. Any grain that the royalists have taken will have hit the city hard."  
"And it has been hit hard," Dante told him, "the royalists have been treating the locals like slaves for the last month."  
"Well then," a smile tugged at my lips, "I say that we should pay a visit to the city and give the grain back to the poor where it belongs."  
Alessa nodded, "However, there is one problem."  
"The bastards had kidnapped two of the local children and are holding them as insurance that the farmers won't storm to storehouse," added Dante solemnly, "and as such they are forcing some of the locals to serve as guards for stores."  
Ah, so that was why they hadn't made a move on the storehouse yet.  
Ideas buzzed through my head, and then it came to me.  
"The five of us will be enough for what I have in mind," I told them, buckling on my sword belt.  
"What is your idea?" asked Alessa thoughtfully.  
"Freddie," I glanced at the old Templar, "you said that you have friends in the city. Perhaps they will be able to rally the villagers once we make a move on the storehouse."  
He nodded and sent me a grin, "If I know Aldéric, he will be ready send the bastards back to where they came from."  
"I will lead them against the royalists," said Élise from Freddie's side.  
"What? You think that because I have bloody crutches that I can't take part in the fighting?"  
Élise laughed at her mentor's joke, "We may need to royalists to actually be able to leave, and well, they can't exactly do that if you are busy cracking their heads with your fearsome crutches."  
I smothered a laugh and looked to Mr Weatherall who looked as if he was about to retort, before closing his mouth and roaring with laughter.  
"Well that settles that," I chuckled, "Dante and I will take care of any guards around the storehouse and deal with the royalist once we get inside," I glanced at Alessa, "however, we cannot risk the children being harmed, and we may well need to locals on our side."  
She nodded, understanding, "I will find the children and make sure that they are kept safe from harm."  
"And once we have freed the children," Dante grinned, "the locals will turn on the royalists without hesitation."  
"Not only will we be free to redistribute the grain to the poor," I concluded with a smile, "we will be able to weaken the royalist power in the area."  
Dante chuckled as I walked around the table and joined the siblings, "What are we waiting for?"

A couple of hours later, the sun had reached its peak and we rode into sight of the small city of Lannion. Long fields stretched out before us for almost a mile, where they met with a small cluster of houses, no more than two dozen of them, while further down the road stood the city of Lannion itself. Dust kicked up behind us as we rode closer, the buildings becoming clearer and clearer. A large barn stood on the edge of the farming houses, and as we got closer, I noticed half a dozen men armed with muskets surrounding the building; clearly it wasn't just a barn.  
"That," Dante pointed at the barn, "is our storehouse."  
"Oh, I never would have guessed," I replied with a chuckle as we neared the village.  
Alessa gestured to a small group of tents not far from the barn, "And those would appear to be our royalist friends."  
I glanced over, seeing the flag flying and a few men garbed in blue military uniforms walking amongst the tents. A minor complication at the most.  
"I can imagine that with the aid of the farmers, this whole thing will come down to a fight between the people of Lannion and the royalists."  
I shot a look over my shoulder to where Freddie drove his carriage, Élise sitting up beside him. Having only one and a half legs, Mr Weatherall had hardly been able to ride a horse, so we had managed to find him a more comfortable way to come with us. He said something to Élise and she threw her head back and laughed, a radiant smile appearing on her lips. I could help but smile as they reached us, for the last six years, Mr Weatherall had been more than a mentor and friend to Élise, he had taken the place as her father when François had been murdered. The carriage trundled to a halt and Freddie peered towards Lannion, no more than a mile away now.  
"Looks just as I remembered," said the old Templar with some amusement in his voice, before looking to me, "With this fine young lass beside me, I have no doubt that we will find Aldéric within a couple of hours."  
Élise grinned and smacked his arm, "Fine young lass? That's the best you've got?"  
"Girl can't take a compliment," Mr Weatherall told me with a wink.  
"Oh you're nothing but an old faker," she replied with a laugh and planted a kiss on his cheek.  
I chuckled and flipped open my pocket watch, it was three o'clock. Three hours was good, the sun would just be starting to set giving us more cover.  
I gestured to Alessa and Dante, "We will begin our move at six o'clock then."  
"That will give us plenty of time to see what we can learn from the farmers," nodded Dante, "Perhaps they have heard something."  
"I will see what I can uncover from the royalist guards," added Alessa with a nod, gesturing to the royalist encampment, "They may have some knowledge on the whereabouts of the children."  
Dante looked to his sister, "How do you propose to get anything out of the royalists themselves?"  
"Dante, you forget that I am a woman," Alessa smirked and tipped her hood back, letting her long ebony hair spilling down around her shoulders, before placing a hand on her brother's shoulder, "I have been winding men around my finger for years."  
"Just be careful," he replied with a wink, "we don't want to have to deal with a dozen dead soldiers."  
I grinned at the exchange between brother and sister before speaking up, "In three hours we will begin our move."  
"And finally get a chance to show the royalists that they have no place in France anymore," added Élise with fire in her eyes.  
It would come down to a fight between the locals and the royalists, I was sure of it. I smirked, Élise was right. It was time to show those who had forced poverty down on those 'beneath them' that they were no longer in power.

ii

I slipped my pocket watch back into my waistcoat and glanced down the wide dirt track leading to the grain store. The sun was setting in the distance and I could feel the air chilling as it sank below the horizon. I pulled my coat tighter around me to hold back the chill and glanced to my companions. During the hours that had passed since our arrival, we had spoken to the local farmers, who as expected, were none too happy at having to play servant to the small force of royalists. The locals who had been forced to help guard the store had decided to join us so long as we were able to make safe their children, a task which Alessa had been undergoing for the last three hours. Through the royalists, she had discovered that a rather unpleasant man by the name of Flavien de la Babineaux, was leading the invaders and had locked the children in a cellar under the grain store, a room that was supposedly impregnable. They would be in for a surprise then. If all went to plan, the children would be back home within the hour, the royalists would be out of business and Monsieur de la Babineaux would be food for the crows. In the end, it all would come down to Élise and the men that she and Mr Weatherall had been able to find.

I glanced at the siblings and gave them a cocky smile, "Shall we begin?"  
"It's about time," Alessa's lips formed the same quiet but cocky smile as always as she stretched her arms and pulled her hood up over her head.  
I almost laughed as Dante slapped a hand on my shoulder and gestured to the barn with a wide grin, "Our friends await, Monsieur Dorian."  
Alessa thumped her right hand into her chest and sent me a nod, before vanishing down the street. Out of all of us, she was the one couldn't afford one mistake, and was relying on us to distract the royalists inside the store so that she could make her entrance.  
With Dante by my side, I strode towards the grain store and chuckled, unable to hold in my amusement at what was about to happen. Four guards stood at the front of the barn, two of the local farmers, the other pair were royalist soldiers, who stood with their hands resting on their swords. At thirty paces we stopped, the royalist guards glaring at us, but unsure what to do as thus far, we hadn't done anything wrong. I glanced at Dante as he knelt by my side and reached for the mud beneath our feet, this would be fun.  
I grinned at the guards and without a second thought, gave them a _bras d'honneur_.  
Their faces started to turn red with anger, but they maintained their position. And now to put the icing on the cake.  
" _Baiseurs de chèvres royaliste_ ," I called to them, my grin broadening.  
I could see the two farmers trying and failing to hide their amusement, and I thought I could see one of them smother a chuckle. The royalists glared back, the crimson shade on their faces darkening at the insult. It would only take one more thing to spur them into action…  
And then Dante rose to his feet and launched a clod of mud at the royalist soldiers. It flew through the air where it seemed to hang for a moment, before plummeting down and striking one of the soldiers square in the chest, covering his blue uniform.  
The two royalists glanced at each other, and then without a second thought, drew their swords and charged at us with outraged bellows. Perfect.

My grin widened as the soldier sped towards me, his sword coming up for an attack. The only thought that crossed my mind was that he was a bloody fool for being goaded into making a very rushed attack. I stood completely still as he hurtled toward me, my feet braced on the ground, shoulder width apart. At the last possible moment, I slipped to the side and flung out a leg. His sword missed its target by a mile as he swung, and then my foot took his feet out from under him. The man cried out in shock as he was airborne for a moment, before crashing down hard on the ground, his sword flying from his fingers. I twirled around to face him as he got up and spat a glob of mud from his mouth, the same sludge that now covered his once blue uniform. The soldier glared at me with his bloodshot eyes, before charging toward me again, his arms outstretched. I ducked beneath his first blow as it sailed overhead, before hammering my own fist into his gut. As he staggered backward and doubled over, I powdered up into a leap, my body twisting and my knee smashing into his exposed face. As I landed lightly on the ground, my opponent was once more introduced to the mud, this time out for the count.  
Now that had been fun.  
I glanced over at Dante with a grin as he toppled his opponent with a devastating uppercut and sent the man hurtling backwards. He seemed to hang in the air for a moment, before crashing down hard into the mud, and joining his companion in the realm of the unconscious.  
The Italian returned my grin, "Nothing like a fight to wake you up."  
"You call that a fight?" I replied with a chuckle, before walking towards the grain store.

The two famers were still struggling to hide their amusement as we approached. We had managed to get word to them that this would be happening, and now it was time to lure what royalist guards still remained in the store away from it, well, as many as would take the bait. I send a nod to them, indicating that it was time to begin the show. One of the farmers shot me a grin, before composing his face and opening the door to the barn.  
"We're under attack," he shouted inside, "they killed Jean and Hector!"  
I shared a glance with Dante as the sound of footsteps and shouts came from the store, and then we spun around and started jogging away from the store. I spared a glance over my should and saw half a dozen blue uniforms spill out and charge up the road toward us. Good, that would be most, if not all the royalists within the barn.  
"I think that it's time we introduced ourselves," I called to Dante, before spinning on my heel and drawing my sword with a flourish.  
My companion whipped around and slid his own sword from its sheath, before coming to a halt beside me. They were getting closer now and I felt my heartbeat quicken. These men were the ones who wanted to return France to a time where the nobles ruled the lower castes with impunity, and no doubt, most, if not all of these men had been a part of it. And now they had taken part in kidnapping children and stealing food that the poor needed to survive. An image of Bellec came into my head, 'The time you should not hesitate to end a life is when your own is in danger.' The odds were three to one, and all three of my opponents meant to kill me. All traces of mercy had been used up on these men, I thought grimly as they charged the last twenty paces towards us.

I easily slipped to the side of the first attack, my boots hardly disturbing the ground, and plunged my sword into my first attacker's throat. I whipped around as he crashed into the mud and deflected a second attack to the side. Using my momentum as a weapon, I spun indie his reach and shoved my hidden blade up into the second man's ribs. My third and final attacker stepped back and glanced at me warily, clearly he had been trained how to fight _properly_. My lips curled into a cocky smile as I studied my opponent, his legs were a little too close together and he stood a little too upright. Both not good traits if you were a swordsman. This would be easy and simple.  
I feinted to the right, causing my opponent to move to intercept the imagined attack, too late did he realize, too late did he move to stop my hidden blade from knocking his sword further aside and too late did he try to avoid my sword as it plunged into his chest.  
At the same time, my companion sliced his blade across the neck of his final opponent, and just like that, it was over.  
Now there was nothing stopping the farmers from turning on the royalists, all we needed to do was distract Monsieur de la Babineaux to give Alessa enough time to free the children.  
I twirled my sword to flick the blood from it, and sheathed the blade.  
And with a glance to at Dante, we shot back up the road towards the grain store. 

iii

The four farmers who had been guards joined us as we barged into the grain store, and the sight before me almost made my jaw drop open. Unlike we had previously thought, the royalists had _not_ locked the children below in the cellar, if fact, they knelt before two royalist soldiers with swords pressed against their slender throats. Another four soldiers stood in front of them, muskets lowered towards us. Flavien smirked triumphantly as he had managed to salvage the situation. I drew my pistol and leveled it at his chest, perhaps like so many nobles; he would fall for a simple trick.  
"Release the children," I told him with a cocky grin, "or you will never live to see another dawn."  
He looked at me for a moment, before laughing and drawing his sword, "Do you really think me that stupid?"  
Damn it, it hadn't worked. But perhaps if I brought enough time, Alessa, wherever she was, would think of something.  
"Think about what you are doing," I replied, "harm them and you will never leave this place alive. And I very much doubt that the locals will take kindly to you murdering their children, Monsieur."  
I didn't take my eyes from the royalist leader as the rest of my senses scanned the room, but I heard nothing. I prayed that Alessa was somewhere nearby, or this could turn very bad.  
"Oh, and if I give the children to you, I suppose that you will let me leave without being harmed then?" he gave me a patronizing look, "I would not think it so."  
I almost ground my teeth in frustration at the situation, I could put a shot between Flavien's eyes with a blindfold from this range, but if I did, the children would be murdered.  
"Are you men or beasts that you would threaten a child?" spoke up Dante with a fierce glare, "Let them go or my boot will find your arse before you can so much as scream for help."  
The corner of my lips curled up as Dante spoke and I watched as a dark look crossed the royalist leader's face. Perhaps this could be salvaged after all.  
"You have my word that if you give up the children, you will not be harmed."  
De la Babineaux shot a look over my shoulder at the farmer behind me and took in their anger filled expressions, "Somehow, I doubt that they will let the six of us leave even if I give you what you want."  
There was no way that the farmers would let the royalists leave the store even if Flavien gave up the children.  
"We are at an impasse then, aren't we?"  
He glared at me, "No, no we are not."  
And with that he gestured to the farmers behind me, "Let us leave, or your children die."  
 _Merde._

Just when I was starting to lose hope, I saw a shadow drop from the eaves, a shadow in the shape of Alessa Lucien. I saw a flash of silver as twin hidden blades engaged, and then Alessa crashed into the two soldiers holding the children, her blades plunging into their necks. As they fell to the ground, Alessa leapt in front of the children and drew her sword and a pistol.  
"You were correct," she said with a glint in her eye, "we are _not_ at an impasse."  
I gave the royalists a smirk and raised my pistol once more. We outnumbered them and had them outgunned, the only problem being that the royalists also possessed firearms and had them ready to fire upon us. If they shot first, they would all die, but so would many of us. If we shot first, I had no doubt that some of them would get a shot off and kill some of us.  
No innocents would die tonight, I would not allow it.  
 _Thud._  
All eyes went to the back of the storehouse as the back doors crashed open, and in poured another dozen blue garbed royalist soldiers. My eyes went to Alessa and the children, they were now surrounded. She ushered the children up against a pile of crates and stood in front of them, making sure that neither group of royalists could get a clean shot passed her.  
There was no way to avoid a conflict now, I was certain of it.  
"Let the children go and I will let you escape with your dignity," I called to Flavien.  
"I think not."  
Weapons were raised by both sides, and I realized that things were about to erupt. I drew my sword and held it to my side, my pistol leveled squarely at Monsieur de la Babineaux.  
"People of Lannion," I heard a familiar voice behind me cry, "Show these bastards who this land truly belongs too!"  
It was Élise. And she had brought company.  
Company in the form of a dozen huge locals bearing an assortment of picks, pitchforks and other vicious farming equipment.  
Now we could win.

As the new arrivals surged into the store, I adjusted my aim and pulled the trigger. One of the men aiming at Alessa crashed to the ground, and she reacted instantly, her own pistol booming, sounding the death toll for another of Flavien's men. I surged forward with Dante at my side and we carved into the men separating us from Alessa.  
I knocked the royalist leader's sword to the side and sent a high kick into his chest, sending him crashing over a crate and giving Alessa the opening that she needed to get the children through to us.  
With a roar upon my lips, I charged forward with the villagers and in a crash of steel, we were amongst the royalists. Within moment, the life blood of two men was upon my sword as I attacked like a demon, forcing my way through to the retreating royalist leader. Above all else, he had to die.  
I knocked a man to the side and sliced my hidden blade across the thigh of another, before tossing a third man to the side and charging out of the grain store towards the royalist leader's retreating back.  
A horse was picketed to a low fence before him and I instantly knew that I wouldn't reach him before he got to the horse.  
He was barely twenty five paces away. I instantly knew what I had to do.  
I swung my sword arm back, and then whipped it forward, releasing the blade as I did.  
The sword hurtled passed Flavien… straight into the reigns of the horse, severing them from the fence.  
It looked up, and with a frightened neigh, sped down the road.  
Flavien turned to me, hatred clear in his eyes, and drew his sword.  
I flexed my wrists, engaging both of my wrist blades.  
And then we charged each other.

I blocked his sword, once, twice, and then my third move sliced my right blade across his cheek. A thin trail of blood ran down his cheek. The royalist snarled and I gave him a grin, enraging him further. As he charged again, I slipped one of my feet back and pivoted around as he lashed out, his sword missing by a hairs breadth. And then it was over.  
My first blow slammed my left blade into his exposed side.  
My second move plunged my right blade into his back and sent him crashing to the ground gasping.  
He rolled over and reached for his sword, but I knocked it aside with my boot and glared down at the man lying before me.  
"What are you waiting for?" he snarled, "get it over with."  
I glanced down at him and shook my head slowly, "The lower castes are not your property. That is why you lost the revolution, and that is why we will never have a monarchy again."  
"What the hell would you know about it?" he spat angrily as I knelt beside him.  
"My name is Arno Victor Dorian," I told him, "and I grew up in Versailles."  
He laughed mirthlessly, "And yet, you sided with _them_ …"  
"When will you people ever learn," I shook my head in frustration, "no man is above any other."  
"And yet, you kill those who aren't 'worthy' to live."  
I engaged my blade and smirked, "You are wrong, Monsieur. I kill those who seek to make slaves of those 'beneath' them. I kill those who grind the poor into the dirt to increase their own wealth and glory. I kill for the good of others. Repose en paix."  
And with that, I plunged my hidden blade into his heart.

iv

The warmth of the bonfire seeped through my body as I sat with my companions around a large table. Not long after we had kicked the invaders out of Lannion, the local famers had decided that after a full month of being forced to serve the royalists, it was time to have a party. And so, all the tables had been moved outside under the stars and moon, while our hosts pulled out barrels of alcohol and roasted mutton. The food had long since been eaten by this time of the night, but the ale still flowed and the dancing and singing continued. A few of the farmers had even brought out instruments, and music filled the town square.  
"You should have seen the bastard's face when you dropped down," said Dante, rising to his feet and gesturing to his sister. He grinned and took another gulp of ale, before making his jaw drop wide open and he contorted his face into something similar to complete fear.  
We all roared with laughter as the Italian finished his tankard and grinned drunkenly down at us, before glancing over at a women who would have been around twenty. I smothered a laugh as she gave him a seductive smile, and within moments he was kissing her and being led away from the festivities.  
Beside me, Alessa rolled her deep brown eyes, before finishing her own tankard of ale.  
"Never sits still, does he," started Mr Weatherall simply, a wide grin across his face.  
Alessa glanced up at him and raised an eyebrow, "True enough. Dante has only ever been interested in three things, Signore. Fighting, drinking and, well…" she nodded her head to where her brother was being led inside a house by the girl, their arms around each other.  
I laughed, a grin spreading across my face and tenderly linked hands with Élise, who smiled cockily at Alessa, "You say that as if there is something better to do."  
The Italian grinned back at Élise and winked, "Oh, trust me, there isn't."  
"I'll drink to that," I chuckled and raised my tankard.  
We all knocked our cups together and then downed the last of the contents. I felt a fire run through my blood as the alcohol took control of my senses.  
"Oi, Freddie," called Aldéric from one of the other tables, a smug look upon his face "You still think that you can go cup to cup with me?"  
I chuckled and glanced at the man. Aldéric was around the same age as Mr Weatherall, although heavily muscled from years working on his farm.  
"I would drink you under the table," grinned Mr Weatherall, before pushing himself to his feet with his crutches and moving to join his old friend, a dozen tankards already on the table before him.  
Alessa glanced up at the older men with an amused grin, "Beating the old man is one thing," she told Aldéric, "but I doubt whether either of you could go cup to cup with me."  
The pair bellowed with laughter, before Mr Weatherall beckoned her over, "Come then, see if you can last half as many as us. I have been doing this since before you were born."  
"Then you should prepare to be schooled by a girl half your age," replied Alessa with a cocky grin, before walking over to join the two men.  
"Hold on a minute," Mr Weatherall glanced back at our table with a sly grin, "Élise de la Serre, I seem to recall a time where you called yourself a 'drunk of some repute'."  
I smothered a laugh as Élise glared daggers at her mentor, "That was some time ago, Mr Weatherall."  
"It would appear so…"  
Freddie grinned and let the question hang in the air for all to see.  
Élise rolled her eyes and stood up, "And is that a challenge, Monsieur?"  
"If it is?" he replied, his grin broadening.  
The men standing around the table started chanting her name, "Élise, Élise, Élise…"  
This was going to be fun, and I couldn't help but grin as Élise gave her mentor a cocky smile, stood up and gave the group a theatrical bow.  
"It would appear that you are about to get beaten by your protégé," she told Mr Weatherall, causing the men around the table to cheer. "Come on, Arno," she told me with a grin and pulled me over to the group.  
We all took up a tankard of ale, and as I glanced around at the men and women present I was greeted by a wide range of grins. I almost started to laugh at the absurdity; we were all in varying degrees of drunkenness and about to have a drinking competition.  
Freddie grinned at me from across the table, "Let's see what you're made of, lad."  
I raised an eyebrow, I was damned if I was going to get beaten by the older man.  
"Well then, we had better do this while _some_ of us are still young," I countered sarcastically.  
Laugher flooded around the table, and then as one, we knocked our tankards together and raised them to our lips.  
I sent Mr Weatherall a wink over the top of my cup and then downed the contents in one swift move. This wasn't just going to be good; this was going to be fun.

An hour later, both Freddie and Aldéric had passed out in a drunken stupor, while Alessa had held her alcohol better than the rest of us and had simply gone to bed after winning the contest. It had been close between Élise and the Italian; however, Alessa had been drinking for as long as she had been walking.  
I felt Élise squeeze my hand and turned to face her, a smile upon my face. As I turned, she leant forward and kissed me full on the lips. I returned the kiss and we sat there for a few moments, losing ourselves in the kiss and forgetting everything else.  
After a moment, she pulled away with a giggle and pulled me to my feet, with a flirtatious smile, "Come on."  
"As you command," I replied with a grin.  
She gave me another kiss, before leading me into the village square beside the fire where the music was the loudest. With a grin, I encircled my hand around the small of her back while she put her own arms around the back of my neck. We lost ourselves in the music as it rolled over us, dancing backward and forward.  
"It would appear that you are still a drunk of some renowned," I joked with a fire igniting in my eyes.  
"Is that your foolish male pride talking, Monsieur Dorian?" she flirted playfully, and drew me closer, "I seem to recall a few times that you, yourself, got a little too friendly with the cups."  
"Perhaps that happened once…" I whispered, giving her a quiet smile.  
Élise chortled and gave me a wicked grin, "Once? No. One hundred times perhaps. That sounds a little better."  
I laughed, and for the first time in months felt the weight of the civil war slide off me, with Élise I could relax and forget everything.  
"You wrong me," I gave her a wink, "I have heard tales of the famous drunk of Versailles, the young and beautiful, Mademoiselle Élise de la Serre."  
She glared daggers at me, but within moments we were both laughing like children.  
It could have been from the fire or my being drunk, but I felt my blood race through my body, its fire filling me with energy.  
I looked into Élise's eyes and saw my expression mirrored in her own emerald gaze. I pulled her closer, our lips almost touching now, our bodies pressed together.  
"Élise…" I murmured, gazing into her eyes, taking in the lustrous lashes and penetrating emerald gaze.  
"Don't talk," she replied with a whisper, our lips brushing, "just kiss me."  
I pulled her tight against me and our lips found each other.  
We stood there, locked in each other's embrace and time seemed to stop, as we lost ourselves once more.  
I felt her hands slide down my sides, where she took my own, and with a final kiss, she pulled back and led me away from the party.

8 July 1795

i

I had begun to see the end of the struggle, the end of four bitter months at war with the rogue Assassins. And while the fight had taken a deadly toll, consuming Assassin and Templar alike, the alliance was holding together stronger than ever.  
And Shay was expected back from America at any day, bringing aide. Help that I hoped would bring the war to a swift ending.  
I had redoubled my efforts to catch the traitor within our ranks, and a plan had started to form.  
I told Élise and Mr Weatherall my plan when they arrived at the La Serre villa.  
We were in a private study, away from the prying ears of those within the Assassin Brotherhood. No one could find out about this, not even Monsieur Bonnaire and the Italians, all of whom I knew were innocent of treachery.  
I told them of my plan to lure our betrayer into the open and catch him off guard, and hopefully, that would cost Madame Trenet the war.  
A frown creased Mr Weatherall's face as he looked over at me, "It's a bloody bold move, lad. If somehow this goes wrong, you could be risking your own life. And the traitor may not be among those you have called a meet with."  
I nodded, he was mostly right, "The traitor is among them, Monsieur. From how I see it, he would have to be one of the inner circle to be inflicting the damage that he has caused."  
"I don't know, Arno…" a smile flickered across his wrinkled face, "It's either madness or genius."  
Élise shook with laughter at that and with a grin I smothered my own chuckles.  
"You may as well try it," Élise smiled, "after all, what do we have to lose?" she glanced at me with a thoughtful expression, "just be careful, I'm taking my own men on a raid tonight and we won't be back until after midnight."  
And just like that, it begun.

I met with a group of the nine leading members of the Assassin Brotherhood; Bonnaire, Beylier, the Italians and five others. We met, strangely enough, in the room that Élise had inducted Messieurs Ney, Brune and Murat into her Order. I glanced around at the assembled faces and leaned on the table before me, "I believe that I have located Madame Trenet's hideout."  
There were gasps from all around the table, followed by questions.  
"How?"  
"When?"  
I held up a hand, bringing a silence to the room.  
"The Templars have discovered that Master Trenet will be meeting with a high ranking official within the revolutionary committee within an abandoned chateau in the East of Versailles," I glanced around once more, "I will be making way for the chateau immediately."  
At once there were calls of agreement, before Master Bonnaire looked to me, "When is the meeting taking place?"  
"Not three hours from now," I replied, hating the taste of the lie on my lips.  
Dante Lucian looked up at me, "Are you mad? Going alone will only get yourself killed."  
I looked at the Italian and I took a deep breath. I had to do it.  
"I will be going alongside Grand Master de la Serre and a cadre of her knights," I glanced at all the assembled faces before continuing, "I won't take you because firstly, killing a former brother is hard, something that no man should have to live with," my gaze shifted once more and I was silent for a moment, before continuing, "and secondly, because one of you is working for Master Trenet."  
I had told no Assassin about the discovery of a traitor, and I glanced into each person's face as the table broke into an uproar.  
One of them had betrayed us, and had been feeding Trenet information the whole time, costing many Assassins and Templars their lives.  
I had made a gamble, and I prayed that it would work out.  
I ignored the cries of outrage and searched their faces, but none betrayed the face of a traitor. Whoever he or she was, they were good.  
"Arno, have you gone mad?" called Beylier angrily, "why would any of us betray the Brotherhood?"  
"That is what I plan to uncover, Master Beylier."  
"You are a bloody fool," he spat, turning his back on me.  
"He speaks sense," called another, "why would any of us betray our cause?"  
I glanced at the Assassin, "Because they were not truly with us this whole time."  
The Italians and Bonnaire remained silent, as if they knew what I was thinking.  
"You jest," cut in another Assassin with a smirk, "this is all just joke."  
I glared down the table at the man, "This is no jest," I glanced about the table, "one of you has betrayed us."  
I had many a lot of enemies by accusing the other Assassins of treachery, but I needed to find the traitor. Trenet had been almost silent for months; no doubt she would be plotting something. If I didn't act now, the consequences could be severe.  
I spun on my heel and strode out of the room, "I'm going to rendezvous with the Templars and then ride to Versailles."  
In truth I was going alone.  
In truth I was riding straight to Versailles.  
And if the plan worked, whoever had betrayed the Creed would want to get their first, expecting me to meet with the Templars first, he would be riding hard to get there and warn his Master of the impeding attack.  
But he wouldn't find Trenet, there was no meeting taking place.  
He would only find my blade.

I reached the chateau just as the sun was disappearing behind the trees and the lamps were being lit, coving Versailles in a brilliant orange glow. I quickly hid my steed down an ally not far from the mansion and then ran into the chateau. I glanced about the room, searching for a place to hide.  
A place to lay an ambush for the traitor.  
I looked up.  
Aha, a long wooden support beam hung over the doorway, perfect.  
I hoisted myself up using the doorframe, and then leapt up onto the beam.  
I pulled my hood tight over my ears and flex my wrists, making sure that my blades were ready, and then expanded my senses, preparing for the confrontation.  
It wasn't long before I heard the sound of a horse galloping down the paved street. I heard the thud of a person dismounting onto the stones, followed by the footsteps of someone running.  
I lowered myself into a crouch, my heart beating rapidly.  
The doors creaking open.  
"Master Trenet!" a voice shouted from below, "Arno is on his way with the Templars."  
He hadn't entered the chateau fully yet.  
Come on, come on…  
"Master Trenet?" he called again and I could hear the nerves that laced his voice. He would be starting to question if he had made it on time to avert this 'disaster'.  
And then he entered the room, stepping away from the doorway.  
Got you.  
I dropped down from my hiding place, by blades erupting.  
I hit the ground, but I was too late, my opponent had rolled away in the nick of time.  
Damn it.  
I drew my sword and pointed the tip at my foe, "You betrayed us all."  
I felt my heartbeat quicken in anticipation. Whoever was under the hood would pay the price for betraying us to Madame Trenet.  
A chuckle came from beneath the man's cowl, "If was you who betrayed us to the Templars."  
I recognized the voice, and it came to me as he lowered his hood.  
Michel Forniea, the very man who had welcomed me back to the Brotherhood with open arms not a year ago. The man who had become as a younger brother to me in recent months.  
He must have seen the surprise written on my face, "Surprise you does it?" his voice changed to open contempt, "Master Dorian."  
"Why Michel?" I inquired, not knowing what else to say, "You of all people."  
He shook his head and drew his sword, "I looked up to you, you know. You helped the Creed in ways that others could only have dreamed. You killed Sivert, Germain, James Gabrielle, hell, you took down William Carroll. I admired you," he spat at my feet, "and then you allied yourself with our enemy and you even had the nerve to marry one of them."  
I shook my head; perhaps I could still change his mind.  
"Michel, listen to me," I pleaded, knowing that nothing I could say would make him change his mind, "the Templars are not our enemy."  
The Assassin swore bitterly, "They have always been our enemy," he shouted, "and they always will be."  
I looked at him sadly, knowing in my heart that one of us would die here, "It's not too late."  
And then he laughed mirthlessly, "Yes it is. Can't you see? It's too late for your beloved Assassins, too late for Bonnaire."  
A cold shiver tingled down my spine as he said those words. And for the first time I felt something close to fear. Not for myself, but for the Brotherhood, for Mr Weatherall and the Italians… and for Élise.  
Dread filled my heart, "What do you mean?"  
"I had hoped that you would have been there to witness our victory, but alas you had to choose tonight to make your ruse."  
I stepped forwards, my sword leveling at his chest, "Tell me."  
He lifted his own blade and smirked, "I will tell you that when you are at my feet, begging for your miserable life. I want to see the hope fade from your eyes."  
Whatever it was, clearly it was bad. Bad for Bonnaire and our Brothers still in Paris. The only comfort I took from it was that Élise and her knights were not with the Assassins, and perhaps would escape whatever scheme Madame Trenet and her followers had created.  
And no doubt it would eventually involve the Templars too.  
If I killed Michel, perhaps I could prevent it.  
I had to try.  
"This ends with you," I replied, venom lacing my voice, "brother."  
And with that I attacked.

Our swords clashed, creating a web of steel as we danced about the entrance room of the chateau. Michel had risen through the ranks of the Brotherhood at an alarming rate due to his capabilities as an Assassin, as a fighter and strategist. He was bloody good with a sword.  
I ducked a swing and lashed out with my own, but he swiveled aside and stabbed at me with his hidden blade. I blocked it with my own with inches to spare and then lashed out with my sword once more.  
He deflected it to the side, but was too late to stop my boot from finding his now exposed chest. He stumbled backwards and I hammered my advantage, mercilessly smashing his weakened defense.  
He fell backward with a cry and hit the ground, before gracefully turning his fall into a backwards roll.  
He came to his feet with a snarl, realizing that I could best him.  
I made my move, but he lashed out once more, hurling a knife towards me.  
I had no time to react.  
And then it hit.  
Pain seared through my shoulder as I watched my enemy's back retreat from the chateau, his sword now sheathed at his side.  
I pushed down the pain, if I didn't stop him now, then countless more would die.  
And with that I yanked out the bloody knife and dropped it to the floor.  
And then I sprinted after him.

Michel looked over his shoulder, seeing me coming after him, and put on another burst of speed. He must have thought me weak, that I couldn't defeat the pain with my mind, and so he fled to the rooftops in the hope that I wouldn't be able to follow him.  
He was wrong.  
I pulled myself up after him as my shoulder screamed in agony. But I had to catch Michel, at whatever the cost.  
The tiles beneath my feet became blurs as we sped along, him leading me on a dangerous chase over the rooftops of Versailles. In the dark it was almost impossible to make out where to put my feet, but neither of us stumbled, neither of us fell.  
I leapt a small alleyway and vaulted up onto a taller rooftop, gaining on my opponent. I followed him well, getting closer and closer. He must have sense me at his heels and leapt from the rooftops.  
He sailed down into a gap between two buildings and crashed into a window, sending glass flying through the air. He handed inside the building, and with a roll was back on his feet.  
I followed him, leaping down from the tiled roof and into the building. A short hallway stood before me as I pushed back to my feet, vaulting a small table that had appearing in my way. I barely slowed when I came to the opposite window that Michel had fled through, and hurled myself after him.  
I grunted as I hit the ground with a roll, and then took off after my foe, not far ahead now.  
He lead me through a maze of streets and back alleys, and then I caught up, barely a few paces separated us now.  
I dived forwards, tackling him to the ground.  
A boot hit my wounded shoulder and with a gasp I rolled to my feet, drawing my sword, just in time to see Michel face me, his pace white from exhaustion.  
And a pistol in his grasp, leveled at my chest.

I did the only thing I could do; I dropped to the ground backwards and lashed out with my sword.  
The blade smacked into his gun and knocked it from his grasp just as he pulled the trigger. Dirt exploded next to my head as the shot went wide and his faced contorted from victory into surprise. Bewilderment turned into shock as the speed of my reaction took him by surprise. I lashed out again, now down on one knee, my sword biting into his thigh. As he fell I rose to full height, before slicing my sword down across his chest.  
Hope flared in my chest, perhaps I had been able to avert a catastrophe.  
It was over.  
Or so I thought.  
I dropped into a crouch before him and engaged my wrist blade.  
"It's over, Michel."  
To my surprise Michel only chuckled.  
"No, it's only just begun."  
I felt dread fill me again, "What has begun?"  
He laughed mirthlessly, "By now the leader of your thieves will be dead. Bonnaire and his men as well. It was a trick. We planned this, to give the illusion that you had won. You have lost."  
I glared down at him, taking in his words and feeling a very cold shiver run down my back. No, he couldn't be telling the truth. It was a lie. It had to be…  
"You lie."  
"I am telling no lie, Arno," he said, reading my expression, "You have lost. And soon, your red haired whore will be dead as well," he laughed again, "I am going to miss seeing Trenet shove her sword into the damned Templar's neck."  
And then I killed him.  
I had to get back to the villa before it was too late. 

ii

I smelt the smoke before I saw the burning ruins of the once great La Serre villa, now barely more than a burning pile of ash. It had all been a trick; Michel had betrayed us before I could stop him. I hurriedly dismounted and sprinted into the yard, drawing my sword, there could still be enemies around. I felt a stab of fear for Élise, before I realized that it wasn't yet midnight, and that she wouldn't have returned from her raid. Relief seeped into my body as I strode through the yard, and then I saw the bodies.  
Dozens of them.  
All bearing the garb of the Assassins.  
Master Trenet had made her move.  
Michel had been speaking the truth, there had been an attack.  
An all out attack.  
My heartbeat slowed as I took in the wreckage and bodies surrounding the ruined villa.  
It hadn't just been an attack, it had been a massacre.  
I glanced about the yard and sheathed my sword; none of my enemy's men would have stayed behind. I glanced around, looking at each face of the dead. I had to know if any still lived. And then I saw Master Beylier, struggling to stand, his bloody sword on the paving stones before him. Three dead Assassins lay before him and another four at his back.  
Dread flooded into my body as I recognized one of those behind him.  
It was the Mentor of our Brotherhood, Julien Bonnaire.  
I ran over to him, my blood running cold as I dropped to my knees before the Grand Master, before my friend.  
Blood covered his robes, one of his hidden blades was broken in half… and his throat was cut.  
His eyes were wide open; it would seem that Master Trenet would not show respect to her enemies in the way that we did.  
"They came without warning," murmured Beylier, "you were right, we were betrayed from within."  
I felt tears moisten my eyes; Julien had been a great friend to me, a brother and a teacher.  
I reached out my hand, "Repose en paix, my brother," I whispered as I closed his eyes.  
I glanced up from the body of my friend and once more took in my surroundings.  
Damn her, damn Michel, damn this whole bloody war.  
I turned to Beylier, there was nothing I could do to help him, and if he didn't find a doctor soon, he might die.  
"Go and find yourself a physician," I told him, lightly placing a hand on his shoulder, "you have done your part."  
He nodded and limped from the yard, holding his side.  
And then my eyes found another body.  
My throat caught in my mouth and my heart almost stopped.  
Laying in the middle of two dead Assassins, surrounded by his crutches, was Frederick Weatherall.

"Freddie!," I shouted as I ran to him, praying that we was still breathing.  
Fear welled up inside me and it instantly turned into hatred towards Sophie Trenet.  
I dropped to my knees beside my friend, one of the few people still alive from my past, and a father to Élise.  
A bullet wound was inflicted on his chest; a cowards blow had been used to bring down a once great warrior. Hot anger seeped into my bones, whoever had done this would die.  
"Arno?"  
I glanced down at the older man as he trembled in my arms, "I'm here, Mr Weatherall."  
"Got a few of those bastards, didn't I? Always knew those throwing knives would come in handy," he smiled, the same quiet grin that he favoured, "I'm glad it was you who found me before I go, and not Élise. She doesn't deserve to see me like this, it would ruin her."  
A tear streaked down my cheek, "Don't be stupid, you're not going anywhere."  
"I have been around death my whole life, lad," he sighed, his breathing growing even more ragged, "I know that it is my time."  
In my heart I knew that he was right, the wound was fatal, "We still need you… Élise needs you… I need you."  
He smiled again, "Before I die, know that they took the Italians… I don't know where, but they took Dante and Alessa…. alive."  
I nodded, no doubt Master Trenet would want to bargain with Marco Lucian, and turn him to her cause.  
He reached out a hand and clasped my own, "You are a good man, Arno…" his voiced started to fade, "I am glad that Élise found happiness with you."  
Tears ran down my cheeks and I started to shake.  
"Tell Élise that my last thoughts were of her," he shivered, although not from the cold, "tell her that I am proud of her… she has shown me what it is like to have a daughter of my own," his grasp on my hand tightened, "Don't let her do anything foolish when she finds out, don't let her go to her death to honour my memory. Promise me, Arno."  
With tears still sliding down my cheeks I nodded, "I promise."  
He smiled at me, not needing to speak, but it was clear, _thank you_.  
He looked over my shoulder, to the heavens above.  
"I'm coming, Julie," he muttered, his voice now barely more than a whisper, "I'm coming…"  
His hand fell from my own.  
And then Frederick Weatherall died in my arms.  
And I wept.

I knelt with my friend in my arms for hours, the weight of everything crashing down on me. I dried my eyes and made to stand, to honour his memory I had to keep fighting, I had to avenge him. I had to find the Italians. With a great sorrow in my heart, I pushed the sadness back within me and buried it, clearing my head. It was time to act.  
And then I heard something that had been in my nightmares, a sound that made my heart break.  
A pain filled scream.  
The scream of someone who had just lost everything.  
And it came from Élise's lips.

Tears once more flowed down my cheeks as I looked over my shoulder and saw her run over and almost collapse onto the ground beside me. She took her mentor's body in her arms and wept into his chest, half crying, half screaming in pain. Her body shook as she held him to her, shaking his body in the hope that it might somehow restart his heart.  
I had to get her out of here.  
"Élise," I said quietly, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Élise."  
She didn't respond.  
I reached out and started prying her hands away from Mr Weatherall's body.  
"No!" she screamed again and hit me in the chest.  
Without saying a word I held her as she lashed out, striking me once more in the shoulder. My heart broke as once more she started to shake, her body shaking uncontrollably with sobbing.  
I pulled her close and held her tightly, her hands holding the lapels of my coat.  
I felt her face wet with tears push under my chin, her tears falling onto my neck.  
I held her as she sobbed uncontrollably into my neck, her body racked with pain. I saw Marius enter the yard with a horrified expression and he made to walk over.  
I looked to the Templar and shook my head, warning him not to come closer.  
At this moment Élise needed me, more than her Order needed her.  
Marius nodded, understanding the situation, and walked away. He would be arranging is men to start to dig graves.  
I glanced away from his back as he left and felt Élise burrow further into me.  
Once more tears formed at my eyes and spilled down my cheeks.

iii

It was a while before I could think clearly, but finally I managed to take Élise away from the destruction and to a former Assassin safe house. She had barely spoken a word in the hours following the attack, and who could blame her. Freddie had been by her side since she was six years old and had become a father to her. But we still needed to find Alessa and Dante before it was too late for them as well.  
My blood chilled again, I couldn't leave Élise by herself in the state she was in, nor could I leave her with Marius and the rest of her Order.  
No, she needed me.  
But I needed to find the Italians and rescue them from Trenet's grasp before any harm could befall them.  
The only thing that could be done was that I had to take Élise with me. Who knows, we might even find Madame Trenet herself and exact vengeance.  
I took a deep breath, not wanting to bring it up, but knowing that I had too.  
"We need to go," I said, sitting on the bed beside her, "we need to find Dante and Alessa."  
Élise looked up at me, her face still red, "I know," was all she said, her voice quiet.  
I reached out a hand and pulled Élise to her feet.  
"Will you come with me?" I asked, instantly hating myself for it.  
She nodded after a moment and wiped her tears out from her bloodshot eyes. I pulled her into an embrace and planted a kiss on her head, remembering my promise to Mr Weatherall. She would not get hurt on this rescue mission. I swore it.  
"Arno," she said quietly, "Trenet is going to die for this. Please do not take my revenge from me if she is with them."  
I nodded, Sophie Trenet's life was Élise's to take, not my own.  
"The past is rarely as we would have it," I began, hiding my own grief, "the future is yet to be known. We should embrace the present and strike all else from concern."  
Élise nodded and took a deep breath, "Thank you," was all she said, but I knew what she meant. I had stayed at her side when others had run; I had made her the centre of my life and would do anything to make her happy. She was thanking me for everything.  
Élise controlled her face and wiped away the last of the tears, before buckling on her sword belt and priming her pistol.  
And then we went back to the ruins of her villa.  
There had to be a clue in the destruction.

Thank God for Marius DeCuir. By the time of our return he had cleared away all the bodies for burial and had rescued everything that could still be saved from the ruins of the villa.  
"Not much of it could be saved," he told us solemnly, "some clothing, weapons and these."  
I looked to where he was indicating and saw a small pile of furniture, along with both the portraits of Élise's parents and her trunk.  
"Thank you, Marius," I told him simply as Élise made her way over to the burnt trunk and opened it.  
She withdrew a short sword and inspected it carefully. Seeing that it was undamaged, she carefully replaced the weapon in its box. Clearly the blade had some meaning to her.  
"Transport these to my residence at Versailles," Élise looked to her lieutenant, gesturing to the salvaged goods from the villa, "and summon what you can of the Order to meet at the safe house upon our return."  
Monsieur DeCuir nodded, "It will be done, Grand Master."  
He turned to leave and Élise spoke up again, "And Marius… thank you."  
The Templar nodded in reply, and then was off to carry out his orders.  
"So," said Élise once he had left, "what can you make of the attack?"  
I walked glanced around the yard and slowly walked over to the entrance to the villa itself. I crouched by the stairs and closed my eyes, reaching out with my Eagle Sense. I entered into the trance like state as I was taken back to the attack. I could see blue ghost like figures dashing around the villa and crimson ones scurried over the walls and attacked.  
The battle unfolded before my eyes, I saw Messieurs Beylier and Bonnaire surrounded, and after a prolonged fight, cut down.  
I saw Mr Weatherall hurling his knives with deadly accuracy until an Assassin that I had never seen before kicked him to the ground and shot him where he lay.  
I heard the screams of the dying as they were finished off, and then an Assassin walked up to the man who had murdered Mr Weatherall. Dante and Alessa were being dragged in chains behind him, fighting every step of the way.  
" _Boucher_ , we captured the Italians."  
 _Boucher_ – the butcher. I had a name; at least, I had a title.  
"Very good, we shall be off then," came his haughty reply.  
So this was the man who had been promoted to Sophie Trenet's second in command.  
" _Bastardo_ ," snarled Dante angrily, straining on his shackles, "you will die for this."  
"No, you will die," said the Butcher, before driving his hidden blade into Dante's stomach and twisting it violently, it wasn't a fatal wound, but blood instantly soaked through his shirt. "But not yet."  
I felt my skin crawl as Alessa spat at the man, before he smashed his fist into her face, knocking her senseless.  
"We go to the Seine River hideout," called the Butcher, "there are some things that our Mentor would like extracted from these… uncivilized people."

I came out of the dream state with a gasp, my eyes flashing open.  
"They are going to a base by the Seine," I told Élise, "Alessa and Dante are set for torture."  
"What?" gasped Élise, smacking her thigh angrily.  
"Trenet wants something from them," I replied, "no doubt the location of the Assassin headquarters in Rome."  
Élise shook her head, "But that would mean an attack. It makes no sense."  
"If Monsieur Lucian doesn't recognize Trenet as Mentor of the Paris Brotherhood and won't enter negotiations with her, then I have no doubt Trenet will strike."  
Élise nodded, it did make sense. She noticed a dark expression come over my face, "Arno… What else did you see?"  
I took a deep breath, "The man who killed Mr Weatherall," I looked into her deep green eyes as they filled with sadness, "they are calling him _Boucher_ , and he has become Madame Trenet's second. He is the one who has taken Dante and Alessa."  
Élise nodded, composing herself, "We need to find them," she said simply, "and after that, this Butcher will die."  
Worry filled my chest, worry that Élise had been taken back to her dark days, the period after her father had been killed, the same dark place where she had shot Robespierre in the jaw.  
"He will come to justice," I replied, before pulling my hood up over my ears.  
She must have noticed the worry lacing my voice.  
Élise gave me a sad smile and placed a hand on my arm, "Don't worry," she said, "while yes, I want to kill the man, to make him pay for what he has done, his death will be swift."  
I smiled back, my heart leaping with relief.  
I took her hand briefly, before turning and walking from the ruins, making way for the River Seine.

I followed any tacks that I could find, using my Eagle Sense where necessary, and finally we came to an abandoned hotel by the river than ran through the heart of Paris. All the windows were boarded up and no light shone from the inside, but I could feel that there was something inside. We decided that the front entrance would be the safest bet, because firstly, they would not be expecting an attack, and secondly that it would take time to enter through a boarded up window. In the dark the two Assassins guarding the entrance would not be able to tell that I was not with them, being that my hooded coat would be almost black in the dark. And as for Élise, well, I had acquired a hooded cloak from one of the dead Assassins in the villa.  
And as such, we strode towards the hotel doors, just another pair of Assassins.  
One of the sentries nodded as we approached.  
And then his look changed into that of surprise, "You-"  
He fell to the ground, his words ceasing as my hidden blade slid between his ribs.  
His companion crumpled to the ground beside me as Élise withdrew her dagger from the other Assassin.  
Élise smiled confidently and then dropped her hooded cloak to the ground, the deception was over.  
And I opened the hotel doors and we crossed the threshold.

We walked down the long dark corridor before us, not daring to make a sound. I glanced through every door that we passed, looking for our companions. They had to be in here somewhere. We reached a corner and I glanced around it, noticing two more Assassins standing guards outside a door. I looked back to Élise and motioned for her to wait, before delving into my coat and withdrawing a throwing knife with my right hand.  
And with the weapon behind my back, I rounded the corner and strode towards the men.  
They didn't see an attack coming.  
They thought that they were safe.  
The first Assassin barely made a sound as my left hidden blade found his neck. The second leapt in surprise, turning just in time to take my thrown knife to his throat.  
I quietly lowered the bodies to the ground and took a set of keys for one as Élise joined me.  
And then I unlocked the door and entered.  
Dante lay on the wooden floorboards before me, his torso bare, covered in dozens of wounds. Blood was in a pool about his body. I felt anger spark in my chest and a tide of emotion hit me, he was dead.  
The man who had been by my side for moths, who had been as a brother and friend to me. Dante had always been one who was quick to laugh, letting his emotions rule him. And now, he was dead.  
"What kind of monster could do this?" whispered Élise angrily.  
I shook my head, before turning to face her, "I'd guess the Butcher is responsible."  
And then we heard the first scream.

There was no time to waste as we dashed through the hotel, both of us with swords drawn. We arrived at another room upstairs and we peered inside.  
Three Assassins stood with their backs to us, another, the Butcher, stood with a bloody knife in his hand, glaring down at a seated Alessa. Blood covered her breeches, and by the look of the blood, the wounds beneath would be large.  
"By now your brother was begging for death," he said gleefully as Alessa glared back up to him.  
And then he stabbed her again, his blade digging into her arm.  
I looked to Élise and we ran inside the room, catching the Assassins off guard. The first fell with my sword erupting through his body, the tip emerging from his chest. Élise killed the other two as they turned to face her, her blade slicing across their throats, sending blood raining about the room.  
The Butcher turned to face us, his robes covered in Dante's blood.  
"You're too late," he smirked patronizingly, "the boy is dead."  
"And you go to join him," snarled Élise, before she raised her cutlass and gave it a twirl.  
It had been a gift from Mr Weatherall many years ago. Élise had killed many times with the blade. And she was going to use it to avenge her mentor.  
And then she charged the Assassin with a roar, and as steel met steel, I ducked behind the fight and sliced my hidden blade across Alessa's bindings. She groaned as they came free and I helped her rise to her feet. She leaned on me for support for a moment, before righting herself.  
I turned back to see Élise, her face streaked in tears as she mercilessly carved her way through her opponent's desperate defense and inflicted wound after wound on the man.  
Her sword found his cheek, followed swiftly by his thigh. He bellowed as blood flowed from his wounds, he swung his blade, lashing out in outrage, and then Élise spun inside his reach and plunged her blade into his chest. Blood seeped from his mouth as he crashed to the ground, his sword falling from his nerveless fingers.  
"That was for my mentor," she spat, withdrawing the blade.  
"My death stops nothing," he replied, a pained expression coming over his face, "we have already won."  
"What do you mean?" I said, glancing down at the defeated man.  
"By now the true Mentor will have the Apple… you have lost."  
Dread filled me, I had almost forgotten about the Apple that we had recovered from Francaide a year passed. The piece of Eden contained immense power, and was not to be trifled with.  
And now our enemy had it in her possession.  
We had to get it back at whatever the cost. It may well be too late already.  
Élise glared down at the Butcher, her sword at his throat, "We haven't lost, nor will we simply give in. We will fight you until our last breath, of this, I swear it."  
And then she ran him through.

"It's him!" came a shout from beyond the doors, "the Templar lover is here!"  
"Damn it," spat Élise as she wiped the blood from her sword using the Butcher's clothing.  
I turned to Alessa, "Can you walk?"  
"I have too," she murmured, her face pale white.  
"Then let's go," I said, drawing my sword once more.  
Élise was the first out of the room, and already I could hear a shout of alarm, followed by the clash of steel. I followed her out, just in time to see an Assassin fall to the ground in a bloody heap. And then we raced through the hotel, down the winding staircase and out the front doors. I could hear the pounding of feet behind me as we made a dash for the bridge. I glanced over my shoulder and saw Alessa starting to lag behind, her face was contorted in pain. I ran back to her side just as the first Assassin caught up, his sword angled for her back. I knocked the blow aside and shoulder charged the man, sending him to the pavement. He crashed down and I plunged my sword into his chest, finishing him.  
But more were closing in.  
I glanced back and saw that four had cut us off on the other side of the bridge, and Élise was backing towards Alessa, her sword raised. Five more had come from my side, too many for us to handle, and now we were trapped on the bridge.  
"Arno," called Élise, leaping onto the railing of the bridge, "follow me."  
I clambered up beside her and then pulled Alessa up. The Assassins were closing in now, their swords eagerly awaiting us. I looked to Élise, who smiled… and then jumped from the bridge.  
I heard a dull thud as she landed on the barge that had drifted under us, hidden by the darkness of night. I glanced over my shoulder, the first Assassin was not far now, and was reaching for his pistol.  
"Go!" I shouted to Alessa, spurring her into action.  
She leapt forwards and I prayed that her wounded legs would hold up.  
And then I followed, just as a pistol boomed behind me, its shot ricocheting from the stone railing.

I landed on the deck of the barge and turned my landing into a roll. I came up to my feet and saw Élise leading Alessa to a small pile of crates covered by a blanket of canvas. Élise lifted the heavy material and the Assassin gratefully sat down, leaning heavily against the crates, it wouldn't be long before she passed out from the pain and exhaustion. Élise pulled the canvas over her and then walked to my side, her cutlass once more at hand. Without saying a word we moved back to back, swords drawn and ready for battle. I glanced up as the barge slowly drifted out from under the bridge.  
And then the first Assassin dropped down before me, his sword angling for my neck. Steel rang as I blocked the blow, and then Élise lunged passed me and stabbed her sword into the Assassin's stomach. He dropped to the deck with a grunt, blood flowing from his wound. And then two more of our opponents dropped down onto the barge. One each. I faced the man on the right and watched him closely, reading his eyes. He lunged towards me, faster than lightning, but I anticipated the attack. I ducked around his sword and lashed out with my own, but he blocked my cutlass with his hidden blade at the last moment. We exchanged a flurry of blows, but he had an answer for everything. And then three more of the Assassins leapt down onto the decks, barely making the distance as the boat sailed away from the bridge.  
I had to bring down my first attacker before we were overwhelmed. I blocked his sword and then lashed out with my foot, my high kick sending him crashing into two of his companions. Two crashed to the deck, but the third was unlucky, very unlucky. He hadn't had time to reach the stable part of the barge, and the collision sent him flying into the murky depths of the Seine. Beside me Élise had run her original attacker through, leaving only three Assassins still standing. One of them drew a second sword and charged towards me with a vicious snarl, the other two angling for Élise.  
I engaged my hidden blade as we fought, dancing across the deck, our weapons ringing as they came together. I ducked a swing and lashed out at his legs with my own sword. But my opponent twirled away before the blow could land. I heard cry of pain beside me as Élise finished one of her attackers. I returned my gaze to my opponent; he was good, looking into my eyes to try to gauge my next attack. But just as I could see nothing in his gaze, he could see nothing in mine. He attacked first, and then we came together, his twin swords were blurs around his body. And then I found my way through his defense, inflicting a shallow cut on his thigh, not enough to slow him. But first blood to me. And then Élise was at my side, her final opponent lifeless on the deck. We fought side by side, forcing the Assassin back under a hail of lightning fast blows. He cried out as my sword once more slipped passed his defense and caught his cheek, Élise's own sword followed, catching him in the ribs. He staggered back, each of us focusing on a different side. We worked in perfect unison, her attacking while I defended; she blocked his attacks while I returned with my own. In a clash of steel he caught our swords with his own, and then Élise aimed a devastating high kick at his chest. Unfortunately for the man he stumbled, and her boot caught his throat. It connected and he was thrown back with a gargle, straight into the Seine. He disappeared beneath the waters, and then he was lost from sight. I glanced around the deck, panting. That had been a close call, somehow we had escaped. Élise sheathed her sword beside me, and I followed suit.  
"You know," she said, a smile tugging on the corners of her lips, "I once broke my ribs jumping onto a barge. Well," she rolled her eyes, "I got pushed _before_ I could make the jump."  
I grinned back at her, it had been the first time she had smiled since the death of her mentor.  
"Do I want to know?"  
She laughed and playfully punched my shoulder, "Of course you do, Monsieur."  
I chuckled and nodded over her shoulder to where the captain of the barge looked at us with an open mouth, "Well, you will have to save that until after we talk to him," I gestured to the bodies strewn about the deck, "and clean up this mess."

15 August 1795

i

Telling Marco Lucian of his son's death had been hard, very hard. The mere fact that I had to inform him of the murder by way of writing only made the matter all the worse. And he had started to see peace with the Templars as the reason that Dante had fallen. It was not boding well for us, especially now that the thieves had limited their support. The death of their leader had taken a huge toll on them and once more they were on the back foot, with their rivals once more engulfing them. Madame Trenet's plan had worked almost perfectly, turning our allies away and killing many of our Order. She had even started to call herself 'Mentor' of the Parisian Assassin Brotherhood. And then there was another matter.  
The death of Frederick Weatherall had forced Élise into a frenzy. She was constantly leading attacks on Trenet's supply lines, cutting away at them piece by piece. On the few nights that she returned to the hideout I could see the exhaustion written all over her face, but somehow she was keeping it together, keeping the darkness at bay. And for that I was thankful.

I strode down the aisle that had been created in the new hideout. A blood red carpet was under foot and the surviving members of the Assassin Brotherhood stood gathered around the room. There weren't many who hadn't been caught in the trap a month before, barely a dozen had escaped the catastrophe. Alessa had hardly spoken a word since her brother was tortured and murdered, before she herself was tortured. And who could blame her, in one stroke she had lost almost everything. She had decided to stay in Paris however; Alessa wanted to bring Trenet and her Brotherhood down before she returned to Italy. I glanced at the man standing before me on an upraised platform, one of the new Masters of the Order, Philippe-Antoine Merlin de Douai, or more commonly known as Merlin de Douai. He was a politician and lawyer, much like Master Beylier himself, and he was one of the few remaining Assassins that I fully trusted.  
I reached the dais and looked to my companion who gave me a nod and turned to the rest of the Order.  
"When Arno first came before us he was stricken with the loss of his adoptive father and in search of redemption," Merlin began, his voice resonating around the chamber, "since that day he has proven himself as an Assassin and as a leader," he glanced back to me, "Mirabeau and in turn Master Bonnaire placed their faith in you and now we can see why."  
Merlin glanced around the room, watching as those present nodded.  
I felt a surge of pride, I had only ever done what I thought had been right by the Order, and by myself.  
"Merlin-" I began, but the other man cut me off with a wave of his arm.  
"When our enemy all but destroyed us, it was Arno who took what little we had left and forged us into survivors. He led us well, and all among us owe our lives to him," de Douai looked around once more, his arm raised, "now in return we must place the same faith that Messieurs Mirabeau and Bonnaire placed in him. I call to elevate Arno Dorian to Mentor of the Assassin Brotherhood."  
 _What_? I had not been expecting that.  
Calls of agreement came from all around the room and Merlin turned back to me, a smile playing on his lips. I had thought that the meeting was just about rallying the Assassins, about raising their spirits, but I was wrong.  
Merlin beckoned another Assassin forward, who came up to the dais, a pillow in his grasp. A silver ring stood atop the pillow, the symbol of our Order emblazoned upon it. Merlin took the ring and slid it onto my right ring finger.  
"Arno Victor Dorian, you shall now stand as the Mentor of our Creed. The protector of our Order and our secrets."  
He bowed and stepped back from the dais, and I watched in turn as all present gave me the same bow, each clutching a fist to their chest. It didn't seem real, that I of all people had been chosen for this role.  
I stepped forward and took a deep breath, "Laa shay'a waqi'un moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine, this is the tenant of our Order. Nothing is true and everything is permitted," I glanced at Merlin, filled with memories, my time on Versailles, then the Bastille, Bellec, joining the Assassins and everything that had followed, "once I thought that the Creed enabled us to do whatever we wanted, no matter the cost. That was before I understood the words that lay at the heart of our Order."  
The image of Élise dead in my arms after killing Germain flooded my vision, and then I continued.  
"The Creed is a warning, only we can guard against our own obsessions. We, and we alone are responsible for our own actions, be the consequences good or bad," I looked up once more, "This is what Madame Trenet has forgotten, she believes herself above us, a savior, she believes that we will not be able to rise up from the ashes and fight back. I say that we prove her wrong. I say that we show her what it means to cross us," I stepped forward again, my heart racing, "we are Assassins, we work in the dark to serve the light, we fight for a better world, and it is time that we showed Madame Trenet and her followers that."  
I drew my sword, my heart racing, "Brothers and Sisters, the end is nearly upon us. It is time to strike back and take the fight to them, for Master Bonnaire and all who fell beneath our enemy's blade. For the Assassins! For France!"  
The room erupted into cheers as I held my sword aloft.  
Master Trenet had a fight on her hands, whether she knew it or not.  
There would be a reckoning for the lives that she and her followers had taken.

Days had passed since my ascension to Mentor of the Parisian Assassin Brotherhood, although it felt far longer than that. I sat at my desk, writing a dispatch to my Italian counterpart, Marco Lucian. Although he no longer agreed with our cause, he supported us because Alessa had put her faith in me and had stayed to avenge her brother's murder.  
I heard a knock, "Mentor?"  
I glanced up from my work, "Come in, Merlin."  
My newly appointed lieutenant entered, a letter clasped in his hands.  
"I am sorry," he murmured, a sad look passing over his face, before handing me the dispatch, "this was just delivered by a messenger. Says he doesn't know who sent it or what was in it… he expects a reply"  
With my mind still racing with questions I opened the letter.  
And my heart caught in my mouth as I read the words.  
There had been an attack three weeks ago, an attack off the coast of France.  
This was a ransom note, although not for money.  
Whoever had sent this wanted me to call off our truce with the Templars indefinitely, and to kill Élise.  
I smirked; they must have been stupid enough to believe that I would even dream of committing either of those acts. No force in Heaven or Earth could make me so much as harm one hair on Élise's head; she came before everything for me.  
And then I saw who the ransom was for.  
It was for Shay Cormac.

"Who sent you?" I almost bellowed, glaring down at the messenger who stood before me.  
They had taken my friend captive, and I was hell bent on finding him.  
"I don't know," he splattered, fear showing in his eyes.  
"Gah," I turned angrily, "who gave you the damned letter."  
"A man in a hood delivered it, told me it was urgent."  
I spun back to face him, "This man, what did he look like?"  
"I don't know, Monsieur. He wore a black hood."  
Of course… Madame Trenet instantly came to mind, after all, how many other people with hoods would move against us?  
"When are you to deliver the reply?" I inquired, a plan forming.  
The messenger looked back up at me, "I am set to meet the man in front of Notre-Dame de Paris in an hour," he glanced up at me, "told me to come alone."  
I nodded, the messenger carried no blame, and he would be leading me straight to the black hooded man.  
"One moment," I told him, before quickly scribbling down my answer on a piece of paper. Just one word, _no_.  
I put the not in an envelope and tipped some wax on the back, before sealing it with my ring. I turned back to the messenger and handed him the letter, "You may go."  
"Yes, Monsieur," he stammered, backing away with a bow, "thank you."  
I wanted a moment and then called Merlin in.  
"You're going after him, aren't you?"  
I nodded back, "I intend to follow the message to its recipient."  
"Good luck, Mentor."  
I placed a hand on his shoulder, "You are in command while I am gone. If you require advice on a matter, turn to Élise. You can trust her."  
"Of course," he replied, before bowing slightly.  
I took a deep breath, "I will be back before you know it. Take care Merlin."  
And then I strode from the room, tight on the tail of the messenger.

ii

I followed him through the winding streets of Paris, making sure that I was always out of sight when he turned to make sure that he wasn't followed. Soon enough I was forced to clamber up onto the rooftops to avoid detection. I ran ahead of him, the sooner I found the black hooded man, the better. Soon enough I was pulling myself up onto a gargoyle perched on the cathedral itself. I looked down into the crowd, scanning it for the black hooded man. The messenger appeared once more and I followed his movements.  
Aha! There was the man. I watched as the messenger passed my correspondence to the man in the hood, who tucked the letter into his robes. I watched the messenger move about, making use of Eagle Sense to keep a close eye on him. And then he passed the letter to another man.  
 _Merde.  
_ The game was on.  
I peered down, watching closely as the letter was passed from hand to hand, this was going to be very hard indeed. It took all of my skill to keep track of the letter as it came into contact with messenger after messenger. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, it was handed to a man wearing the uniform of a soldier in the French military.  
Thousands of questions raced through my mind as he tucked the letter beneath his jacket and walked from the square, his sword swinging at his side. I followed him to the Northern most gate of Paris, where he mounted a white horse and was joined by three other soldiers.  
Again I asked myself the question, _why would soldiers want the peace to end?_  
Short answer, they didn't, this was the work of someone else. But who?  
I heard the rustle of fabric behind me and I whipped around, my hand going for my sword. And there, standing behind me, her green eyes flashing, was Élise.  
"What are you doing here?" I began, a smile playing across my lips.  
"Merlin told me what happened," she said simply, "I thought that you could use some company."  
I grinned, with Élise by my side; this would be dealt with much more the swifter.  
I nodded back to the small cadre of soldiers, "It appears that our mysterious ransom note came from within our own army."  
"Strange…" she murmured, crouching at my side, "that doesn't seem like something that Madame Trenet would plan."  
I nodded, "Those were my thoughts, but who else could be behind it?"  
"We shall soon find out," Élise replied as the men started to canter towards the city gates, "let's go."

We followed them on our own horses for hours, first North, and then to the East. We were following them into a forest when they came to a halt, dismounted and walked their mounts from the road and into the foliage. Without a word we followed on foot, taking care to remain hidden from sight. I winced every time a leaf crackled underfoot, but thankfully we were too far away to be heard. We crawled on our bellies up a small rise and peered down at the clearing before us, the four soldiers sat around laughing at some joke, while one of them lit a small campfire. We listened intently, but soon came to the same conclusion, the solders knew nothing. They had no idea what the letter that they carried contained and they certainly had no clue of the ransom note. It was strange to say the least; the command must have been given by someone in a position of authority.  
We lay there for around an hour, watching the soldiers eat and joke amongst themselves, and then I heard the distinct sound of horses galloping towards the clearing. Hurriedly the soldiers leapt to their feet and stood to attention, clearly whoever was coming was expected. I glanced towards the entrance to the clearing with curiosity, who would the new arrivals be?  
A group of eight horsemen rode into the clearing, all bearing the same blue uniform of soldiers.  
"Captain Louis," called one soldiers called to the new arrivals, "we have a reply, Sir."  
"Good," called one of the horsemen, riding up to the soldier, "hand it over."  
Captain Louis appeared around thirty, a sword hung from his belt and he sported a short black beard.  
With a nod the soldier reached into his jacket and produced the letter, before handing it to his superior "Was the trap a success, Sir?"  
"Aye, it was," chuckled the captain, "got to her before they could do anything to stop us. Our leader was well informed."  
"Very good, Sir."  
"Tell then men to break camp, lieutenant, we must be under way at once."  
The solider saluted Louis, before turning to his men, "Mount up. We are expected back before sun down."  
"Yes, Sir!" called the soldiers as they put out the fire and ran to their mounts.  
And then I noticed a figure strapped to the back of one of the new arrival's horses. Captain Louis rode over to the figure and lifted the end of the blanket, giving me a direct view of the prisoner. Confusion spread through my mind as I recognized the face.  
It was Sophie Trenet, leader of the rogue sect of Assassins.  
It all came to me as Élise gasped; this wasn't the work of the Assassins or Templars.  
And then things got worse. I noticed a pouch tied to the horse, a round pouch. I felt the object giving off a strange pull, one that I had felt before. I knew what the pouch hid without seeing inside it. It was an Apple of Eden, the same one that Trenet had stolen no doubt.  
This was the work of a third party.

"Who could have done this?" said Élise as once more we mounted up to begin our pursuit.  
"I don't know," I replied truthfully, "someone must have grievance with both our Orders though."  
She shook her head, "It doesn't make sense."  
And it didn't, she was right.  
I felt my blood chill, "And whoever they are, they knew about the pieces of Eden."  
Élise looked at me, inquisitively, "How do you know?"  
"I will never forget holding the Apple of Eden in Francaide, nor the power of the Sword," I replied, both objects bringing back vivid memories, "they have the Apple, I could feel it."  
Élise looked at me with pursed lips, "Then this is much worse than we realized, we should make a move now and reclaim it before it can cause too much damage."  
I shook my head; the same thought had occurred to me, but… "We need to find Shay before we make our move."  
"Of course," she nodded slowly, "but if we get a chance to retrieve the Apple, we have to take it, no matter the cost."  
She was right, in the hands of the wrong kind of person; the Apple could inflict terrible disasters. And whoever led this third party clearly meant us harm.  
What was I prepared to sacrifice to prevent the Apple being used for evil?

iii

The sun was just starting to set when we finally reached our destination. It caught us both by surprise; we had arrived at the Rhine frontier, the frontline of the war between our own nation and Germany. The huge campsite was stretched out before us, eating mile after mile, the Rhine itself in sight from the small hill we rode on overlooking the encampment. Somewhere, amongst the horde of tents was a man who wished the alliance dead, and us along with it. We could only watch as the party of horsemen entered the camp and were lost from sight amongst the tide of blue uniforms.  
"I know someone who may be able to help," Élise told me thoughtfully, "a high ranking member of my Order serves as a general of a brigade within this very army."  
I looked at Élise, "That may well be helpful. Who is he?"  
"You will have heard of him before," she smiled, "I had to put him back in his box once. His name is Davout, Louis-Nicolas Davout."  
Ah, the same man who had been attacked by Madame Trenet's men earlier this year and had in part blamed Élise, his own Grand Master for it. Even in Paris, Davout, despite only being only twenty-five, was famous. He is said to have a sound mind for strategy and was a devil with a sword. I smiled, perhaps Davout could be a great help to us.  
"Well," I said to Élise with a grin, "what are we waiting for?"  
And then we rode down the hill, towards the entrance to the camp.

"Make yourselves known," called a soldier guarding the entrance to the camp as we approached.  
I glanced at Élise, she knew Davout, and so she was my leader on this.  
"My name is Élise de la Serre of Versailles," she said in a commanding voice, "please inform general Davout of my arrival."  
The soldier nodded, mentally imprinting the name. He gave Élise a short bow, "Of course, my lady."  
He called over another soldier and then glanced to us again, "Right this way if you please."  
We dismounted and a stable boy took our horses, telling us that he would look after them well for our return.  
I chuckled at the lad and tossed him a coin, before following the soldier leading as to his superior. And just like that, we were in the camp.  
We walked through the maze of tents for a long while, our two guides silent as they made the journey across the camp. Finally we came to a halt before a larger command tent. One of our guides pulled back the tent flap and entered for a few moments, before he returned to us, "General Davout will see you now."

Davout was young by any account, younger than Élise and myself by two years, and yet he carried himself with the pride and intensity of a man of far greater years.  
He looked to Élise with a smile and gave a short bow, "Grand Master de la Serre, I must admit I wasn't expecting the honour of your presence."  
Élise nodded back to her fellow Templar, "You have my apologies, Monsieur, but there was no time to send word of our arrival."  
Davout looked to me briefly, his eyes calculating, "And you are?"  
I nodded to the soldier, "My name is Arno Dorian," I told him, "Mentor of the Parisian rite of the Assassins."  
"Of course," he replied curtly, before turning to Élise, "So, what can I do for you and your… companion?"  
A dark look shifted across Élise's gaze, "Someone within this camp has captured a member of our Order," she looked up, glancing into Davout's eyes, "you may remember Shay Cormac."  
The General whistled, "Monsieur Cormac has been captured? How?"  
"He sailed for the Americas to bring as aide against Madame Trenet," I told him, "he was captured upon his return. Earlier today I received a note for his random," I glanced at Élise, "not for gold, but to save Shay I would have to end the alliance and… kill Élise."  
"And by you both being here, I take it your answer was no."  
I nodded, "They would have to be mad to consider me possible of either."  
"I had hoped that you may be able to help us," added Élise, "perhaps your agents within the camp will have heard something of the attack."  
"And there is something else," I said quietly, "whoever is behind the abduction, they are a third party. One that is powerful. Not only do they have Shay, they have Madame Trenet… and an Apple of Eden."  
Davout nodded, deep in thought, "I will see what I can uncover."  
"And Davout," continued Élise, "this must be done with as much haste as possible; Shay's life is in the upmost danger."  
The brigade General nodded, "I shall have my men set up a tent for you," he glanced up at us once more, "now if you will forgive me, I have a battle to win."

We snuck out in the dead of the night, despite Davout willingly offering his support; we had decided to do some digging ourselves. We entered into a large hastily constructed building that served at the soldiers mess area, and out of the biting cold wind.  
The room was a raucous of loud voices and laughter, with men telling tales of the battles they had won, the Germans that they had killed and the women that they had been with. I grinned, there was nothing quite like drunken soldiers. This would be relatively easy. I strolled over to a table with a group of a dozen soldiers sitting about it.  
"Evening gents," I called, using my knowledge of the more laid back military lingo, and pulled a stool up.  
The laughter stopped and they turned to face me, "Who are you then?" asked a soldier, his eyes peering at me curiously.  
The man who had spoken looked me up and down, "Looks like we are in the presence of the nobility lads."  
The soldiers about the table roared with laughter and I joined in, "Perhaps a lifetime ago," I looked over my shoulder and caught the attention of the bar maid, "A round of ale for myself and my friends."  
That should help my cause.  
The soldiers cheered and the mood instantly lightened, in moments I was one of them, just another one of the men. As it turned out, these soldiers were mostly from different units, but had all come from the harsh fields of Ruen, and as such, were very close. The Germans were said to me preparing for an assault, and they were expecting to be facing their next battle in under a week, depending on when their commander ordered the advance.  
I had been with them almost an hour now, and I finally decided to ask my question.  
"I'm looking for a man who goes by the name of Louis," I told them, glancing from face to face, "he is a captain in the cavalry."  
There was some mumbling before one of my companions spoke up, "I know him," he told me, "his section is on guard duty tonight. Lads say he brought in some high priority prisoner this evening."  
I nodded, "That sounds like the man I seek. Where can I find him?"  
The soldier grinned back at me, "Should be on the Eastern side of camp, closest to the Rhine. Poor sod will be up to his balls in mud."  
The table erupted into laughter and I thanked the men, paying for another round of ale. That should keep their tongues from wagging about me if the need arises. I gave them a theatrical bow, prompting more laughter and a whistle, before I departed once more into the cold outside.

I pulled my hood up once more to keep the cold from my ears as Élise walked to my side.  
"I found our man," I told her as we walked through the campsite, "he is currently stationed at the Eastern side of the camp," I glanced at Élise, "guarding a prisoner."  
Élise smiled, "A promising start. One of the maids had just returned from taking some food for the prisoners. She said that there were two, a man and a woman."  
"Shay and Trenet."  
"Precisely, she also informed me that there were around a dozen soldiers guarding the prison tent where they are being held."  
"Not too many to deal with," I gave her a cocky smile.  
"Quite," she said with a grin, "and I am in quite the mood to meet this captain."  
"As am I," I replied with a chuckle, before we made our way through the maze of white tents once more.  
It didn't take long before we left the last of the tents behind and came across a small, circular stockade, a large tent at its centre.  
I peered through the darkness and made out a dozen soldiers stationed about the stockade's perimeter. As I had been told, Captain Louis was indeed present. I watched as he strode into the tent, closing the flap behind himself.  
I looked around for a way into the tent, a way where we wouldn't be noticed by the guards. The fencing ran around the tent in a circle, only one way in, through the front. Well, I smiled, unless you had our training.  
"Follow me," I whispered to Élise, before making my way around the side of the stockade.  
A single solider stood guard over this side, after all, who could enter through a large steel fence?  
He must have been half asleep, and I almost felt sorry for my unsuspecting victim as I snuck up on him and wrapped an arm around his throat. I squeezed and in moment he was asleep at my feet.  
"Nice work," said Élise with a note of sarcasm as she wandered over, "now we just need to break into the tent itself."  
I nodded with a grin, before walking to the fence and scurrying up it, Élise close behind me. I reached the top just as a soldier rounded the bend. Damn it. I leapt at him as his hand dropped to his sword. But it was too late. I crashed into him, and with a well aimed punch, knocked him senseless. Élise dropped to the ground beside me, and with a deep breath, I engaged my hidden blade and slid it into the roping of the tent. The thin ropes parted, creating another entrance, and then with a nod to Élise, I leapt inside, my pistol in hand.  
Captain Louis was not alone in the tent, two more soldiers stood guard with him. Behind them, hands bound and tied to the centre pole of the tent were Madame Trenet and Shay.  
"What the devil," started Louis, before he noticed my pistol aimed at his face. That silenced him.  
"Drop your weapons," I told them with a smirk as Élise joined me in the tent, her own pistol drawn.  
They glanced at me nervously and did as I commanded. Élise handed me her pistol and then strode over to the table, gathering up a length of rope that lay curled on it, and then turned to the soldiers. She sent me a wink, before wrapping the rope tightly about the three men, before gagging them with their own scarves. I handed Élise back her pistol with a grin as I holstered mine, it had gone perfectly.  
I strode over to Shay, taking in his badly bruised face, and long cut to his right arm, before slicing his gag and bindings with my hidden blade.  
"Arno," he muttered, "you shouldn't have come."  
"Nonsense," I replied, helping the older man to his feet and embracing him.  
Élise reached out and handed Shay his weapons that had been littered on the table, "If is good to see you alive, Shay."  
"And you, Grand Master," he replied with a wink.  
Shay walked to the low table and took up his weapons, sheathing his blades, holstering his pistols and strapping his hidden blades to his wrists. Shay turned to a satchel, checked its contents and then slung it over his shoulder. Whatever was inside, it clearly meant something to him.  
And then he did a strange thing, he engaged his wrist blade, turned to Sophie Trenet, and lashed out.  
And her gag fell to the ground before her.  
"What are you doing?" I asked, confusion in my voice, "she is our enemy."  
"Not this time, Arno," replied Shay, shaking his head.  
Élise glared down at the Assassin, before drawing her knife and crouching before her, "You are the reason that my friend is dead."  
"And you are the reason that many of mine are as well," came Trenet's reply, "we were at war."  
"We still are," growled Élise, "I should kill you now."  
"No," Shay placed a hand on her shoulder, "you kill her and we are all dead."  
I felt my skin pale, "And why is that?"  
Trenet looked to me incredulously, "Do you still not see it, Arno? It wasn't some third party that took us and the Apple, it was the Templars."  
"Don't be ridiculous," spat Élise angrily as Shay helped the Assassin to her feet, "I command them."  
"Then you were a poor leader," shrugged Trenet as she took her sword and hidden blade from the table.  
I saw Élise's face turn red with fury, "Do not think that I won't kill you."  
"But you won't."  
Élise drew her sword, "Oh, and why is that?"  
"Because I am not your enemy this time," said Madame Trenet with the beginnings of a smirk, "kill me and my Assassins will never join you against our true enemy. I can see now that I was right, there can be no peace between the two Orders."  
"It has worked out pretty well so far," I cut in hotly, stepping towards her, "in any case, why would we join with you?"  
"My enemy's enemy is my friend."  
I shook my head and turn away, she had some nerve.  
"No thank you," Élise waved her arms in exasperation, "We are not, nor will we ever be friends. Besides which, the alliance is holding up perfectly fine without you getting involved."  
"No, Élise," said Shay sadly, "it isn't."  
"Why?" I inquired, a feeling of dread started in my mind, "what have you seen, Shay?"  
He looked down for a moment and closed his eyes.  
"The men who captured me work for General Davout."

A silence fell about the room, "Davout would not dare," replied Élise, "the Order would turn on him."  
"This can wait," interrupted Trenet, "until we are outside the camp. Kill me once we are beyond the Rhine if you wish, but it will change nothing."  
Élise glared at the Assassin and sheathed her sword as we strode from the tent.  
"What happened to your men?" I asked the Assassin.  
"Mostly dead, it was a perfect ambush," she replied sadly, "I doubt even half a dozen made it out of the slaughter."  
I felt a wave of sorrow, despite us being at war, they had been my Brothers. Perhaps now the survivors would come round to our cause.  
And then something else came to me, where was the Precursor artifact?  
"We have a way out of the camp," I turned to Madame Trenet, "First things first, where is the Apple?"  
"They took it," was her only reply, "of where, I do not know."  
We jogged down the pathway of the stockade. I glanced around, the guards were gone.  
 _Merde._ This was not good.  
I reached for my sword at the same time as my companions, our heightened scenes straining to pick up anything.  
"And what exactly are you doing here," came a triumphant voice, full of mockery, "Madame Grand Master."

Davout stood before us, the Apple in one hand glowing a brilliant gold, and a ring of soldiers standing at the entrance of the stockade, muskets aimed down the narrow corridor towards us.  
"I found your tent empty," he told us with a smirk, "I had hoped to talk you around," he gestured to Madame Trenet, "but it would seem that you have chosen your path already."  
I inwardly cursed, Madame Trenet had been right, he had turned on us.  
"Let us pass, Davout," called Élise, her hand reaching for her sword.  
"And why would I do that?" he replied.  
"You forget your place, general," she said commandingly, her blade now in hand, "I am your Grand Master"  
"No you aren't, at least, not for much longer," came the reply.  
My blood ran cold, if Davout had turned, how many more of the Templars could he have gotten too? I could name a few that might side with him.  
"Why are you doing this?" called Élise, gesturing towards him, "And what addled your brain to the point where you attacked and captured a fellow Templar?"  
"Peace with the Assassins is a lie; Sivert knew it, Germain knew it," he bellowed, before gesturing towards Shay, "And as for him. That so called 'legend' within our Order, was besotted with his ideas of peace, always following the Assassins around like a whipped dog."  
"You dare accuse me of all people of being a what? An Assassin lover?" Shay stepped towards him, anger flashing across his eyes before he snarled, "You do recall what I did in the colonies, boy."  
"The Assassins are not our enemies," shouted Élise, her temper rising, "and the only traitor amongst us is you."  
"They always will be our enemies. Yes, I stood by your side and obeyed your commands," he smirked, "I thought that I would give the idea of peace a chance. That is, until you started risking our lives to save those of the Assassins, while they in turn attacked us."  
"You know full well that it wasn't our ally that attacked us."  
"Be that as it may, the Assassins attacked our own," he replied with a shrug, "you spent more time with your beloved ally than you did leading your own Order. We need a strong leader, a leader like Germain to rise us back to our former glory," he glared at her, "and not some foolish girl who thinks that leading the Templars is her birthright."  
"Germain was a tyrant," Élise said loudly, taking a step towards Davout, "give up the Apple. The pieces of Eden are not to be meddled with."  
"Germain has started us down a true path, away from weakness," he countered, "and as for the Apple. We need a leader who is not afraid to use the Precursor Artifacts to aide our cause."  
The Apple started to glow violently in the General's hand. He raised an arm and gestured towards us. The soldiers prepared to open fire.  
"Oh, and I suppose that you would be that leader?" Élise replied sarcastically.  
"Of course," he smirked patronizingly, "who else would?"  
"Someone else who has delusions of grandeur?'  
"You could have led our Order into greatness instead of ruin," he looked at us, almost sadly, "I am sorry."  
I quickly surveyed the scene; we were four against nearly twenty, those twenty having muskets aimed at us. They had us surrounded and Davout had the Apple. He thought that we couldn't escape, caught between the tent and two long fences of the stockade.  
If the gunmen didn't kill us, then the Apple surely would.  
I took a deep breath and then I did the only thing that I could think of, I dropped a smoke grenade.

Grey mist billowed around us as I tackled Élise to the ground. Just in time. Barely a moment later muskets crackled and the shot whipped through the air about us, tearing holes in the tent and pinging off the steel stockade.  
I staggered to my feet and dashed to the nearest fence, my companions hot on my heels.  
I clambered up the stockade fence and leapt to the other side, I hit the ground with a roll and then the first soldier appeared before me. The smoke had made me all but invisible, and his face turned to complete shock as I appeared from the smoke and sliced my hidden blade across his throat. Blood spurted into the air as he toppled to the ground.  
I heard the sound of my companions dropping beside me.  
"Find them!" I heard Davout bellow from the smoke, the Apple still giving off a golden glow.  
I realized with a stab of dread that we would have to abandon the Apple if we were to survive.  
"We have to go," I said, turning away from the smoke, "if we go back in there, we are all dead."  
"Damn it," swore Élise, "we were so close!"  
"And he still has the Apple," added Shay, stepping back towards Davout and his men, still in the smoke.  
"You're both wounded," I grabbed his arm, "If you die, what's the point?"  
"Arno is right," cut in Trenet, "live and we can reclaim it."  
However, if General Davout did hold the Apple and deciphered its secrets, then we could lose everything. After a moment of indecision I knew what I had to do.  
"Get them out of here," I said to Élise, "I will meet you in the forest that we passed though."  
"Don't be stupid," she replied, desperation in her voice, "we need to go. Now."  
The smoke was starting to dissipate, there wasn't much time.  
I reached out and lightly touched her shoulder, "Élise, you must do this, for me… please."  
I couldn't fight knowing that she was in danger.  
After a moment she replied, "Alright."  
And then she stepped forwards and planted a kiss upon my lips, "If you're not with us by noon, I will be coming back for you."  
"I'll be there," I told her with a cocky smile, at least, I hoped I would be.  
And then they were gone.  
I turned back to the wall of grey smoke, this was it. I engaged my hidden blade and sprinted towards the golden glow of the Apple of Eden.

I cut down a pair of soldiers as I made my attack, and then there was no one to stop me from reaching the Templar. He turned and saw me just as I leapt into the air, my blade angling for his throat. Davout was as good as dead.  
And then I felt an unseen force slam into me and hold me in the air, mere paces away from Davout. The Apple was glowing angrily and I knew straight away that the Precursor Artifact was the reason I was unable to move.  
"You were foolish not to run," Davout told me as the last of the smoke vanished, "and now you shall die for your mistake."  
I struggled against the force, but the power of the Apple of Eden was too strong. The Templar lowered the Apple slightly and it glowed once more. I felt myself being pulled towards Davout even as I struggled to free myself for the invisible prison. I cursed myself; I had been a damned fool to even attempt this. The general drew his sword and aimed it at my chest, "Die knowing that soon your followers will be joining you."  
I struggled, trying to wrench my arms from my sides, to do anything that would help me. But I was a helpless child in the Apple's grasp. I could do nothing, even as Davout raised his sword.  
My mind went to Élise; at least she had gotten away. At least she was safe. It gave me comfort as the sword descended towards my unprotected chest.

"Traitor," I heard a voice shout, and I looked up to see Davout turn away.  
I saw three soldiers cut down, and then my savior was in sight.  
My heart caught in my chest, no…  
It was Élise.  
She sprinted at Davout, her sword red with blood.  
If there was a way to save her, it had to be now. I pushed harder, remembering the Sword of Eden, and the last time that I had faced this Apple. Perhaps having encountered these objects before would give me some help. I screamed as I pushed harder, reaching for my pistol. I felt the binding loosen as Davout's concentration was torn from me.  
My hand reached my pistol and I pulled it out and swung it to face Davout, just as he turned back to face me, Élise held in the air before him by the Apple. He saw the gun and lashed out, swinging the Apple just as I fired.  
And then I was flying through the air, the power of the Apple sending me hurtling towards the rocky ground. I spun through the air and came crashing back to the ground on the muddy embankment of the Rhine itself. I saw Élise land near me, and then we were spinning towards the waters of the river. My shoulder screamed in pain as I hit the ground, and tumbled down the steep slope of the river bank.  
 _Merde._  
And then I hit the muddy waters themselves.

We swam for half a mile, before finally, we pulled our soaked bodies out of the Rhine and onto the river bank. In gasped, that had been far too close. But we had escaped all the same.  
"I never," started Élise, taking a deep breath, "thought that water could taste so damn horrible."  
I looked over at her a moment and then started to laugh. We had been beaten, but we had survived at fight another day. And here we were, soaked to the skin after a defeat, _laughing_. Gods, we were still children.  
I felt a strange joy wash over me, only Élise could make me feel this way.  
I pulled myself to my feet and pushed my hair away from my face. The tie had come off at some point during our swim. I reached out and helped Élise to her feet, "We should go," I sent Élise a cocky smile, "no doubt our friend Davout will have some spare horses."

iv

We reined in our newly 'acquired' horses in the same forest that we had first seen Captain Louis the day before. Our mounts were nearing exhaustion, having been forced to gallop the first few miles to escape the men that Davout had sent after us, and after a hard fought battle, we had escaped. But one thing was certain, unless we could reclaim the Apple; Louis-Nicolas Davout had the power to wipe any who opposed him from the face of the Earth. He had at his command a deadly force, capable of unknown destruction. We had to stop him.  
We found Shay and Sophie sitting in a clearing, watching for our arrival. We walked over and sat in silence beside them. I glanced up as the sun began to rise, casting us in an almost orange light. I eased my aching body to the ground, "So," I said, breaking the silence as I turned to Shay, "how did you get captured?"  
He looked at me for a moment, "We were nearing Calais, and after months at sea, I had begun to lower my guard," he looked at us sadly, "Connor had been forced to stay in America due to the Templars causing some trouble, but he had sent some of his men back with me."  
I nodded back to Shay, my mind full of questions, but I remained silent as the old Templar continued his tale.  
"A couple of frigates bearing the _tricolore_ sailed our way and I saw no need to run, why should I? We weren't pirates or any ship flying non French colours," he was silent for a moment, "and so it came as a surprise when they opened fire and boarded us. There was nothing to be done, my lads fought bravely, but we were outnumbered six to one. It was a slaughter. I alone survived."  
"And the Morrigan?" asked Élise as she looked to the Templar.  
Shay shook his head sadly, "Gone. The bastards sank her."  
" _Mon Dieu,_ " replied Élise, shaking her head, "I cannot believe that Davout betrayed us… I had thought that his anger towards the alliance simply came from him being attacked, clearly it ran deeper than that."  
I nodded, before turning to Madame Trenet, "And what of you? You said that most, if not all, of your Brotherhood had been killed."  
"I let my anger towards you cloud my judgment," she said sadly, "a man came to us a few days ago, saying that he knew where Madame de la Serre was leading her Templars from. I jumped at the opportunity and led most of my men to rendezvous with the informant. We arrived only to find gunmen on every rooftop and in every exit. It was a massacre."  
"And what are your thoughts on this peace now?"  
She looked up at me sharply, "I still believe that there can be no peace and I will never trust a Templar. However, if I must work with you to defeat Monsieur Davout and avenge my Brotherhood, then so be it."  
I saw Élise's face darken, she was thinking of Mr Weatherall.  
Élise stood up and turned her back, before she replied to the Assassin quietly, "That is, if I choose not to kill you."

I walked with Élise through the forest, just the pair of us.  
"This reminds me of that Spring in Versailles," I said with a smile, looking around at the trees.  
"That one where you tried to chase me through that apple orchid?" she replied with a grin.  
I nodded, "I seem to recall that I did in fact catch you."  
Élise laughed, "And when we returned to the chateau, all covered in mud, with sticks in our hair, Father nearly exploded."  
I grinned and then started to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Here we were, on the run from a man in possession of a great power, hell bent on killing us, and yet here we were, laughing about our childhood in Versailles. My heart lifted and I kissed Élise, feeling the happiness radiate from her. We broke apart and she took my hand, "I won't kill her."  
That came as a surprise.  
"What changed your mind?"  
"You… My father, my mother," she was silent for a moment, "and Mr Weatherall. I have been down a path for revenge before and it cost me, it cost me more than I care to admit. I do not want it to happen again."  
I squeezed her hand, "For what it's worth," I told her, "I think that you are doing the right thing."  
She gave me a sad smile, "I miss him, Arno, every day."  
I pulled her into a embrace and held her, "As do I. He loved you, Élise, more than he loved anyone else."  
Élise smiled and pulled away a little, "Arno, I'm glad that you are here."  
"I love you," I told her simply, giving her a smile.  
We were kindred spirits, and after all the pain that we had been through over the last few years, we had found happiness in each other's arms.  
"And I love you," she leaned up and planted a kiss upon my lips, "We should get back, we have lingered long enough and the nation needs us, now more than ever." Élise gave me a quiet smile, "both of us."

4 October 1795

i

The next two months flew by without much bloodshed, with Sophie Trenet surrendering and throwing herself upon the Assassin Council's mercy and with the return of Shay, things had changed. Sophie Trenet had been returned to the rank of Novice within the Brotherhood and those that had followed her had similarly been stripped of rank. But the fact was that we needed them, in total our Order consisted of less than twenty now, of the hundred or so that had been a part of the Brotherhood when I had first joined. The sole reason that our former enemy still lived was because she brought not only half a dozen more Assassins to our cause, but also her backing from the Thieves and Courtesans guilds. As for the Templars, Élise had spent those months consolidating her control over the Templar Order, and luckily, very few members had sided with Monsieur Davout. She was still Grand Master and the alliance was holding together under our leadership.  
And Shay, as it turns out, had brought me something from America, a journal handed to him by Connor Kenway himself.  
The journal of his grandfather, Edward Kenway.

I lit a candle and placed it on the desk before me, lighting the dark room that I used as my study. And then opened the first page of the journal, before losing myself in its pages. Through the eyes of the long dead pirate turned Assassin, I gained a new perspective on the Precursor machines and artifacts. Though the old pages I learnt of Edward's first love, Caroline Scott, and how they had married without her father's consent. I came to see what drove Edward, with him wanting to better himself to provide for his family. The day came when he took to the seas as a privateer, when finally after the war had ended, he met Edward Thatch, later to become known and feared as Blackbeard. As Kenway's journey unfolded I learnt of Adewalé, who would later become an Assassin. A man who would later die at Shay's own hands. I learnt of Calico Jack and Anne bonny. I watched as the words of Mary Read slowly changed Edward, turning him from a rogue into something better. However, I also saw him mad with hunger for the Observatory, and the wealth that it would provide. I smiled at the pirate Captain's daring as he spoke of raids and plunder, a cook without a nose and taking the place of a traitor Assassin known as Duncan Walpole. Without meaning it, he was slowly drawn into the war between the Assassins and Templars. As Edward fought to find the precursor site, so did he lose sight of himself. I could only read as he lost everything . Sadness filled me when I took in his next words,  
 _'Yet when I turn around, look at the course I've run… there's not a man or woman that I love left standing beside me.'  
_ I looked down at the pages sadly, remembering how my friend, Napoleon had wanted the Apple in Francaide a year before. I hoped that he still did not pursue the pieces of Eden with the same recklessness that Edward had fallen prey too.  
I turned to the next page and entered Edward's life once more, seeing as he turned from a feared pirate into an Assassin, and finally making sure that none after him would fall prey to the power of the Observatory that he had, by making sure the Precursor site stayed sealed.  
I closed the journal with a sigh. Had I been like Edward in my youth? Perhaps I had. I hadn't much cared for anything, save Élise.  
And it had cost me dearly. Especially with the death of François de la Serre.  
I shuddered, the words of Edward were to be heeded. Nothing good could come from the Precursor artifacts, they should be hidden from the world, never to be used my mortals.

The hour was late and I was just about to turn in for the night, when footsteps rang on the stone floor behind me and I spun around to see Merlin dashing towards me, his face covered in worry.  
"What happened?" I asked when he arrived before me.  
"The royalists," he panted.  
I swore, they had been stirring up the revolutionaries and the Convention for months. What had they done now?  
"Anger has sparked into action," Merlin told me gravely, "Richer de Sévigny is marching on the Convention offices, with twenty-five thousand men at arms." _  
_I stopped in my tracks, _twenty-five thousand,_ "What?"  
"De Sévigny has advanced into Paris and has pushed back the baron de Menou. The Convention has relieved the baron of command and has placed Monsieur Paul Barras in charge of the defense," he glanced at me, his eyes filled with worry, "Arno, Barras has barely five thousand men to defend the Convention."  
 _Merde!_ If the Convention offices fell, then the royalists would be back in power. Another king would follow. We had to stop them.  
"Barras is a fool and cannot hope to hold de Sévigny and his men for long," I said, striding towards the doors of the hideout, "but I know someone who could stop them. Someone who could defeat the royalists."  
"Who?" Merlin glanced at me, confusion written all over his face.  
I glanced back at my lieutenant and smiled, "Napoleon Bonaparte."

ii

I sprinted into General Bonaparte's office, bursting through the doors. I needed to speak to him, and soon, or all would be lost.  
"Arno? What the hell is going on?"  
Napoleon stood at a small table looking at a map, clearly something was on the general's mind.  
"It's de Sévigny," I told him quickly, "he's marching on the Convention offices, twenty-five thousand royalists in tow."  
Napoleon swore, "And who is leading the defense?"  
"Monsieur Paul Barras."  
" _Merde_ ," spat Napoleon, before glancing over the map before him.  
Clearly he thought the same of the man charged with the defense of the Convention. I could see his mind at work. He was a great man; merely years before he had been a lowly officer in the artillery, and now he stood a General. A General by the age of twenty-six, I had no doubt that Napoleon would go on to accomplish wonders.  
"Barras will hand over command to me," Napoleon said after a moment, "he is a fool, but he will know that this is out of his depth."  
I nodded, "I had thought the same."  
"Come," he said suddenly, grabbing his sword belt from a nearby chair, "we must get to the Convention offices before it is too late."

We arrived at the Convention within the hour and straight away Napoleon sought out Paul Barras, who as we had thought, eagerly placed Napoleon in command of the defenses. The General called a meeting with all the leading officers of the five thousand men present, and to my surprise, I knew two of them. Messieurs Joachim Murat and Guillume Brune stood in the room, both Templars under Élise. Napoleon unfurled a map of Paris, tracing a line down the route that the royalists would most likely take.  
"Gentlemen, our time has come for us to do our duty and protect our nation from these insurrectionists. Richer de Sévigny is leading the royalists on our very position, and we are the only thing that stands between them and a new corrupt monarchy," he glanced around at the men present, letting his statement sink in, "I for one do not want to see our nation return to bedlam," he indicated a position on the map, "we will hit them with our cannons here, and send them home before nightfall."  
"Begging your pardon, Sir," spoke up a man, the baron Jacques-Francis Menou, "but we have no artillery to support us."  
A dark looked flashed over Napoleon's eyes and I could see his mind ticking. He had been an officer in the artillery, so he knew how vital canons could be. He indicated the Templar, Joachim Murat over, seeing him wearing the uniform of a sous-lieutenant of the chasseurs, highly skilled light cavalry.  
He turned to Murat, "I want you to take your cavalry to the Camp des Sablons. You need to retrieve the artillery from there or we are finished.  
Murat nodded, "Yes, Sir. It will be done."  
Napoleon turned to me, a smile playing on the edges of his lips, "I suppose that you want to join in on the action my friend."  
I sent the general a grin, I had come here for him, "I am at your disposal."  
"Good," he thought for a moment, "go with Lieutenant Murat and his cavalry. Above all else we need those cannons."  
"Of course," I nodded, it was a sound plan, a few good volleys of grapeshot should deter the attack.  
"You have your orders gentlemen, now you must go. France herself needs us."

I rode hard through the chaotic streets of Paris, Joachim Murat at my side. Our squadron of cavalry thundered down the cobblestones, passing block after block. We would be at the Camp soon, ready to take those forty cannons. Beside us the houses started getting bigger and looking like they belonged to the wealthy, another sign that we were nearing our objective. We were not two blocks away now, and as Murat had told us before our ride, there would probably be some royalists within the Camp, trying to stop us from retrieving the cannons. We had been told not to show mercy, as we would receive none. I knew what I had to do. I saw a line of men baring muskets appear down the street and I drew my sword and pistol. I guided my mount only using my knees as we got closer and closer.  
"CHARGE!" roared Murat from my side, and the men urged their horses faster, thundering towards the line of royalists.  
To soon the royalists opened fire, the officer had let his nerves get to him, and only one horse went down. I could see them bracing now, most would be unsure how to receive a cavalry charge, especially now that their volley had failed miserably. I took aim with my pistol, now barely twenty paces away, and then I pulled the trigger. I saw a royalist fall to the ground, before more of the horsemen followed my suit and launched a volley of shot into the footmen. Half a dozen more fell, and then we were upon them, swords flashing.  
I rode towards my target and brought my sword down hard, smashing through his defense and striking his chest. Blood flashed in the air as he cried out in pain. I didn't stop to see him die, instead riding further into the Camp des Sablons. Murat was at my side now, hacking away at any man who came towards him. He was a devil on a horse, and I could see why he was thought to be one of the most skilled horsemen in France as man after man fell beneath his sword. I rode at another group of four royalists and lashed out, catching one in the throat. I spun around and blocked another blow, and then my horse shuddered. One of the royalists had been carrying a spear, and he had stabbed it into my mount's heart. I jumped for the dying horse's back as it crashed to the ground, and I landed before the three men. On foot I could fight on my terms.  
I gave the men a cocky smile before charging into their midst, my sword and hidden blade flashing. I deflected the first sword to the side, before catching the man off guard with my wrist blade as I sent it plunging into his throat. I spun to my next opponent as he crashed to the ground behind me. I ducked a lunge from the spear holder and knocked the other man's sword aside with my wrist blade, before shoving my sword into him. One to go. I twirled around to face the spearman as he lashed out again. I spun inside his reach and grabbed the spear with my left hand, while my right embedded my sword into his stomach. I kicked him to the ground and dropped the spear, before glancing around. The chasseurs had broken the royalists resistance and were chasing down those fleeing. We had as good as won with only one casualty so far.  
Murat rode up to me, "There are some snipers on the rooftops," he gestured with his sword, "you take them and we will finish the men still down in the Camp."  
I gave him a grin and a mock salute, before sheathing my sword and dashing to the nearest building, I sprinted to the wall and kicked off its side, propelling myself up the wall. Hand holds were easy to find and in moments I was on the rooftops, sprinting towards the four snipers.  
They noticed me too late. Far too late.  
I jumped in amongst them, both hidden blades flashing. The first two fell in seconds. With a cry of dismay, one of them swung the butt of his musket at me overhead. I grabbed his as the weapon hurtled towards my head, and then I sent a kick into his chest. With a scream he plunged backwards from the roof, down onto the stones below. I dropped the gun and turned to face the last sniper, a sword now in his grasp. With a snarl he leapt at me, his sword slicing towards my neck.  
I stepped inside the swing and slipped my right hidden blade between his ribs. As he crumpled at my feet the first cries of victory came from Murat's men below. We had won.

I dropped down to the street as Murat's men were busy hauling the cannons into courtyard.  
"Nicely done, Arno," the Templar said as he dismounted beside me, "I can see why so many hold you in such high regard."  
I nodded with a grin, "And you also, Lieutenant Murat."  
He had indeed shown himself to be a master horseman.  
The officer chuckled, "Now I had best get these to Napoleon before de Sévigny arrives."  
"I would accompany you," I told him as I looked around for a spare horse.  
"Your help would be much appreciated, my friend," replied the Templar with a sincere nod, "you had best find yourself a new mount."  
I dashed around the Camp des Sablons as the last of the cannons were assembled, and at last I found a riderless horse, a beautiful black mare. I ran over to the beast and leapt onto her back, grabbing the reins as I landed on the saddle. I cantered back to Murat, just in time to see a man bearing the sigil of the Templars ride into the Camp, his eyes full of panic.  
"Lieutenant Murat," he called, galloping over to the officer. They had a conversation as I rode over, what could this be about? The urgency of which the man rode, especially today, when the royalists were out in force, and a battle was about to begin. And then the Templar was gone again, his horse galloping out of the Camp des Sablons and vanishing down the street.  
Murat turned to me, his expression pained, "Davout's men attacked… somehow he found where we were hiding and his men launched an attack. They have taken Élise; she is set to be executed at dawn with a few other prisoners. De Sévigny marching on the Convention will cover it; I doubt it will be on any official records. No doubt Davout was planning to use the attack as a cover this whole time."  
Dread flooded my body, dawn was in less than an hour. The fight for the Camp had taken longer than I had thought; already it was the fifth of October.  
"Where?"  
"Place de la Concorde. I sent my man to inform your lieutenant."  
Damn it, there would be a crowd at the Place de la Concorde, there always was for executions... And with de Sévigny marching, I would have to make my way through a battlefront.  
"I have to go," I said to Murat, my heart racing.  
"Save her," was his only reply, "know that if I wasn't needed by Napoleon, I would join you. Good luck, Arno."  
And then I rode, galloping from the Camp towards the Place de la Concorde.

iii

I had been forced to abandon my horse as the fighting consumed the city and the barricades were placed across the streets.  
I flicked my pocket watch open… damn it, it was mere minutes until the dawn executions were going to take place… My heart caught in my mouth… Élise…  
I sprinted through the streets for all I was worth, knocking people to the ground in my haste. I had to get to the guillotine before it was too late.  
The thought of Élise shook off my exhaustion as I ran, pushing myself to my limits. I did not care if I died today; I had to rescue the woman that I loved.  
A pile of broken furniture and wood stood like a barricade in my way, damn it. I swore and pushed myself into a faster sprint. It came flying towards me, closer and closer, and then I jumped, vaulting over the barricade. I heaved a sigh of relief. Too soon. I came face to face with another barricade, damn Richer de Sévigny and his men. I sprinted towards the barricade and saw an opening under it where a large piece of wood had wedged itself. Lucky for me. At the last second I threw myself to the ground and slid under it, before leaping to my feet and shoving my way though yet more people.  
I saw fighting erupt in the street before me, and heard the crackle of musket shot. I swore, this was just what I needed, the attacks had begun. I would have to force my way through the battle that was now underway to get to the guillotine in time.  
I wouldn't make it in time to save her.  
Panic seized me for a few moments. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and looked about me. The streets weren't an option… The rooftops! Of course, how had I not thought of them before?  
I sprinted through a group of people armed with muskets and dashed to a building. I recklessly threw myself up the wall, using everything from windowsills to overhanging beams as handholds, and in moments I was on top of the building.  
I could now see where I needed to get to, it was still a spec in the distance, time was not on my side.  
I pushed myself harder now, flying across the steep rooftops, one misstep could mean my death. I didn't care, and recklessly sprinted across them. I jumped gaps between buildings and flew up sides of yet taller ones, before dropping back down to the smaller single storied houses. Tiles crumbled under my feet and fell down into the streets below as I sprinted over the rooftops. I climbed up a three storied building, the last before the Place de la Concorde, and ran for the far edge. The baying of the crowd before the guillotine came to my ears, and then the square itself was in sight. And there was only one execution left to be had. The figure wore a hooded cloak, but there was no mistaking the size of the person, it was Élise.  
Panic took me, how was I meant to get through a crowd of a thousand in under a minute? Without a pause I sprinted to a gap in the rooftops and leapt into it, using the sides to slow my descent, and then I hit the ground in a couch, before setting off at a sprint into the crowd.  
Cries erupted all around me as I viciously shoved people out of my way and pushed through the crowd. I could see the soldiers on the guillotine platform clearly now, and watched as they tossed another lifeless corpse into the wagon. Élise was next. I wasn't going to make it at this pace; I had to do something to draw the attention of the soldiers.  
One of the soldiers nearby caught sight of me shoving my way through the crowd and made to intercept, the crowd parting before us. This was good. He reached me,  
"What do you think…"  
I interrupted him by way of stabbing him in the chest with my hidden blade. Two of his men drew their swords and charged me with roars. I reacted instantly and made short work of them both with my wrist blades.  
The officer on the guillotine platform saw me dispatch his men and pointed towards me, "Kill him!"  
Good, I had their undivided attention; Élise was safe for the moment.  
With a snarl I drew my sword and span it in the air twice. Screams erupted around me and the people near me pushed away, giving me a clear avenue to the guillotine.  
More soldiers charged me. I had made Élise a promise; a promise to protect her with my life, no man would stand in the way of that promise. I twirled my blade in a whirlwind of steel as they came at me, and in a few short moves two were dead and the third was backing away disarmed. Blood stained the cobblestones of the courtyard as they crashed to the ground, but I had already forgotten them. I sheathed my sword and ran at the guillotine platform. There were two soldiers left guarding Élise, the officer in charge of the executions and one of his men, who with one look at me cried out in fear and ran. I would have looked like a devil, my dark blue robes flying about me as I had mercilessly carved a bloody path through the soldiers. Now only the officer was left, and he didn't know that I wore a hidden blade. I sprinted up the steps onto the platform and leapt at him. The officer started to draw his word but was too late. I crashed into him and my wrist blade found his throat.  
I rose back to my feet and turned around to face Élise. She stood before me; hands bound and gave me a smile, "Arno," was all she said, and I could hear the relief in her voice.  
I drew my sword with a flourish and sliced it across the ropes that bound her hands.  
I turned to face the crowd, and at that moment it started to rain. I strode back the officer's corpse and unsheathed his golden handled sword. Élise massaged her bruised and bloodied wrists and I tossed her the sword. She caught it nimbly and flicked her hood back from her ears. I did the same, I would need all my vision for this fight, and then we stood back to back, swords at the ready. Dozens of soldiers were streaming towards us now, muskets raised and swords drawn. Élise span her sword and soldiers ran up the platform stairs from either side, many with swords, most with bayonets. The crowd was streaming away from the battle now, only us, the soldiers and a few onlookers remained. And all were ignorant of the two people that stood before them defiantly, an Assassin Mentor and a Templar Grand Master. United.  
"What do you have planned," Élise called to me as we bumped into each other.  
I sighed and shook my head, "I came here to rescue you, and after that… I have no plan, Élise."  
"Okay," she said quietly, "We fight together then, and see how many of the bastards we can take with us."  
"Together then… I love you."  
The soldiers surrounded us now; there would have been at least fifty of them altogether, waiting in anticipation for the order to attack.  
"I love you too."

They could only come at us a few at a time, and one by one we slaughtered them, but it wouldn't last long. The second their commander started thinking we were as good as dead. Luckily for us he appeared to be an incompetent fool like so many of the men to reach the rank of officer before they were ready for command. Three men were already dead at my feet and blood dripped through the wooden boards onto the cobblestones beneath. Another solider charged me, I easily deflected his attack and lashed out with my own, catching him in the jaw. He dropped to the ground in a spray of blood and then another of his comrades tried his luck at me. The soldier ran at me with a snarl, one that was interrupted when he slipped on the wet planks breath his feet and fell towards me. I caught him as he flew at me and tossed him to the side, my hidden blade opening his throat. The rain had soaked through my coat now and I was starting to shiver. My whole body screamed, I knew it wasn't long until I collapsed with exhaustion, but I had to save Élise, no matter the cost. My arm shook as I blocked yet another sword, once, twice and then caught the soldier in the gut with a lunge. I withdrew my blade and took a breath, my arms were aching from the strain of no sleep for almost two days of running, climbing and fighting. I managed to kill another two soldiers, but I felt myself slowing. It wouldn't be long now. The soldiers were holding back now, warily. For the first time I praised the rain, it had stopped the soldiers using their fire arms due to wet powder. I panted, watching for any move to attack us. None came.  
I reached out behind me and took Élise's hand with my own. It was almost over; we would both die here, together.  
And then it came to me. There was a small chance, a tiny chance that I could get Élise out alive. I had to take it.  
"When the time comes, get down from the platform and run," I whispered to her.  
"What are you going to do?"  
"Élise, you have to trust me."  
"Arno…" she hissed, "tell me what you are going to do."  
I gave in.  
"I'm going to attack and try to get to the officer. In the panic they will all come at me, giving you time to escape."  
"Don't be ridiculous, I'm not leaving you here alone," she replied angrily, "I'm not leaving you here to die."  
"You have to."  
"Do you remember what I told you at the wedding? Together, until the end."  
"Élise…" I said sadly, knowing that she would not leave, "Please."  
"I am not leaving you."  
And that was that. As it had been our whole lives, us against the world.  
I shook my head to clear it, took a deep breath and steeled myself for the attack.

I cried out as a sword slashed across my side. Pain flared from the wound as I dropped to one knee and stabbed my attacker in the stomach. That had been too close.  
"Arno!" cried Élise; she must have heard me go down.  
"I'm alright," I replied and staggered back to my feet, this wasn't going well and there were still dozens of soldiers left. I felt my wound with my left hand and glanced down at the blood that covered my fingers. I bit back a grunt as a wave of pain hit me, the wound was deeper than I had thought.  
I held my wound with my left hand as I engaged yet another solider. My side seared with pain when I finally slide my sword between the man's ribs and into his heart. My grip on my sword was loosening and my head was starting to spin. I shook off thoughts of despair and snarled, I wasn't going to die here, not at the hands of some soldier. No, it would take more than that to kill me. With my last ounce of strength I pushed down the pain in my side and rose back to full height, ready for my next attacker. I was the Mentor of the Parisian Assassin Brotherhood; I would not give in.

"Now!"  
I heard the shout go up from the rooftop of a building alongside the Place de la Concorde.  
And then smoke grenades detonated among the soldiers, dozens of them. A grey mist instantly covered the platform, shrouding us from our enemies.  
I reacted instantly; this could be our only chance. I grabbed Élise by the hand and together we raced to the edge of the platform and leapt from the edge, taking a group of four soldiers by surprise. They were dead at our feet within moments. All around me I heard the snick of hidden blades and the cries of the dead and wounded. Together we ran, emerging from the dense smoke. I took a deep breath, and then a soldier charged us, his sword raised. In two lightning fast moves Élise sent him to the cobblestones with a slice across his chest.  
I heard a while behind me and then Merlin appeared, six Assassins at his back and much to my surprise, Sophie Trenet was among them.  
"Let's go," Merlin called to the Assassins, before leading us from the square.

We ran for a few blocks, putting as much distance between us and the Place de la Concorde as possible, and at last we entered an abandoned hotel and left the rain and muddy streets behind. Somehow we had escaped with our lives, somehow Élise and I were still alive. I inwardly praised Joachim Murat for his quick thinking of sending his man to find Merlin, and then I collapsed, exhaustion taking me to sleep.

27 October 1795

i

I glanced at Napoleon, the man who had been promoted to a divisional general after his defeat of the royalist force on the fifth of October. The man who only yesterday had been given command of the army of Italy.  
"The royalists are calling you the ' _Général Vendémiaire_ '," I told him with a grin.  
"Well I suppose they would," he replied with a chuckle, "seeing as that was when I defeated them."  
I smiled, remembering when I had found out about the name intended to make Napoleon the villain, when to the people of France he had become a national hero.  
"Général Vendémiaire," he muttered again, "it shall be my first title of glory."  
I shook my head; I was still surprised that he had won the battle with only minor casualties, "How on Earth did you do it? They had you out numbered five to one."  
My friend grinned back at me, "How did a mob of untrained, poorly equipped revolutionaries take the Bastille?"  
"Canons," I replied, remembering the thunder of the artillery as the prison walls shook around me, the attack giving me the chance I needed to make my escape from the former prison.  
"Precisely. Richer de Sévigny marched straight up to the Convention in tight ranks through narrow streets. All it took was a few volleys of grapeshot to disperse the crowd," he nodded to me, "I anticipated my opponent's move, and because of it, was able to take victory from his grasp."  
Aha, just as I had been trained. Anticipate your opponent's actions, and surprise him. The same went for battles as well as duels it would appear. I suppose, I had anticipated what the traitor would do when I set a trap for Michel earlier this year.  
I looked to Élise who stood beside me and stifled a chuckle, the man had defeated a much larger force and saved the Republic of France, and was just brushing it off as nothing.  
I raised my glass, filled to the brim with wine, "To the Général Vendémiaire," I grinned.  
The man deserved everything he had received, especially his promotion.  
"To Napoleon," added Élise as she raised her own glass.  
The General glanced at as with a smile, before raising his own glass, "To friendship."  
And as one we downed the contents of our glasses.  
It was probably a bad idea to drink so fast, but we would probably not be back in Paris for months after today.  
"Now," said Napoleon after a moment, "what brings you both here? I doubt that you merely came to drink with a friend."  
I smiled back at the man, "We will be leaving Paris tomorrow on a matter of vital importance, and may well not be back for months."  
"And we needed to ask you something," added Élise.  
"Ask away," replied Napoleon, "anything that you need is yours."  
I nodded, "We need to take Joachim Murat and Guillume Brune for a day, two at most."  
"I see," replied the General thoughtfully, thinking it over for a moment, "Very well, you can have them. I will take the matter to their commanding officers forthwith."  
"Thank you," said Élise with a smile.  
"Of course," Napoleon replied, "both of you have sacrificed a lot for France; it is time to give something back."

ii

We rode hard for the Rhine, our column leaving a cloud of dust in our wake. Myself and Élise leading what was left of the alliance towards Davout, and reclaiming the Apple of Eden. Shay rode beside us, his wounds fully recovered from his capture, and itching for revenge. Merlin and Beylier remained in Paris, with Merlin in command while I was away, and Beylier still recovering from his wounds. Alessa Lucian had accompanied us, and I hoped that if we could retrieve that Apple, then perhaps she wouldn't be so hell bent on revenge for her brother. Sophie Trenet and another eight Assassins made up my half of the column, while Messieurs Guillume Brune, Joachim Murat and Marius DeCuir rode at Élise's back with another half dozen Knights of the Order. I smiled as we rode, a sense of pride and accomplishment in my heart, this was the first time in history that a force of Templars and Assassins had been assembled, and now rode into battle together. What had started with Haytham and Connor Kenway, had been continued through myself and Élise, and now this was possible. We had fought against the past, breaking centuries old traditions, and at last we had but one enemy left.  
We could do this, we could win.

We assembled near the Rhine as the sun reached its peak, as scouts were sent to report on our enemy's whereabouts. I could hear the dull sound of cannons firing in the background, and I felt a sense of anticipation tingle down my spine, the commander of the Rhine battalions had attacked the Germans. Perfect, this would give us all the cover that we needed when we moved on Davout.  
Barely an hour later the scouts returned, bringing word of the attack. As it turned out, Davout was in charge of finding a different crossing and leading an expedition into German territory. However, as our scout had reported, he had found the ford before taking a small squadron of men to search a cave not for North of the battle. He must have found a Precursor site.  
Our scour drew up a small map on the ground using a stick.  
I glanced at it for a moment, my plan already forming.  
"I will lead my Assassins through the front an engage Davout inside the cave," I looked up at Élise, "if you locate another entrance use it and flank him."  
"One problem," she replied thoughtfully, "what if there is no second entrance?"  
I nodded it had been on my mind as well, "If this is a Precursor site then there will be a second entrance, I am sure of it," I told her, "however, if there is not, swing in behind us and we will attack together."  
"Alright," Élise said simply, before turning to face both the Templars and Assassins, "I know Davout, I know how he thinks. After months of constant fighting, he will think us broken. And yes, we nearly have been," she paused a moment, "however, I plan to show the general that we can rise from the ashes stronger than we were before. Brothers and Sisters, today we take the fight to him."  
I could see the hope ignite on the faces of all those assembled at her words, "Remember, the Apple of Eden is a powerful force," I added solemnly, "if you get a chance at Davout, you take it. We cannot risk the Apple being lost to Davout."  
I glanced around, feeling the anticipation of a fight flood into me.  
"Today we fight," I stepped forwards, "today we show the world that Templars and Assassins alike can be united as one."  
Sophie Trenet stepped forwards, a crimson robe in her hands, bound tightly around something. Before she took the bindings off and let the robe fall to the ground I knew what it was. She had brought the Sword of Eden.  
"I know that this blade lost its power after the fall of Germain, but perhaps it will protect you from the Apple," she held out the golden sword and I took it, "I was wrong about you, Arno. And I was mistaken about you as well, Élise. Perhaps there was a chance of peace all along."  
I nodded to the former Assassin Master and then gestured towards the Rhine with a cocky smile, "There is a false Templar waiting for us. Let's go and greet him."

Soon after we crossed the River Rhine, our two forces parted ways. I led mine directly towards the cave, which as I was told, was surrounded by a small grove of trees. It took us almost half an hour, but finally we arrived at our destination, the cave entrance before us. I closed my eyes and reached out with my Eagle Sense. My eyes flashed open once more and I could see brilliant crimson symbols lining the cave entrance, this was undoubtedly a Precursor site.  
"This is the place," I whispered to the Assassins.  
"The piece of Eden contains immense power," added Shay, "do not let yourselves be distracted by Davout."  
Without a sound they drew their weapons, we were ready to fight, and with the Sword of Eden held before me, I led them into the cave.

We jogged into the cave and crossed into a passageway. Light shone from around a corner in front of us and instantly I could hear Davout's voice echoing around the chamber, "We had to get this open before they realize that we are gone."  
I motioned for my group to halt, before I silently walked to the end of the passageway, and glanced around the side.  
Davout stood with his back to me, the Apple in his grasp, while a clutch of six men hammered on the stone before them; clearly it was a gate of some kind. And whatever lay beyond the stone was something that should be left there. I glanced behind and nodded to my companions, before I drew my pistol.  
I leapt from behind the corner and aimed my weapon at Davout.  
"Give up the Apple," I shouted, my pistol leveled at his head.  
Behind me the Assassins followed suit, all with pistols primed and aimed towards Davout. There would be no escape for the Templar now.  
"Well, well," he turned to face us, the Apple glowing intensely, "so, you have returned, Monsieur Dorian," he smirked, "tell me, how was your dip in the Rhine?"  
"Aye I have returned," I replied, my voice laced with sarcasm, "it was enjoyable, the water however, tasted a bit muddy," I gestured to the bandage tied around his shoulder, "how did you like being shot?"  
He smirked once more, "You should not have returned, Assassin."  
I cocked my pistol, "This is your last chance, Davout. Give up the Apple."  
In reply he raised the Precursor artifact over his head, "I do not think so."  
I could see what he was going to do, and I shouted over my shoulder, "Take him."  
The cave echoed with the sounds of gunfire as my group fired down upon Davout, every shot buzzing towards his head and chest.  
And then the Apple flashed angrily and rays of light shot from it.  
The pistol shot was evaporated before it had a chance to reach its target.  
The cave echoed with the sound of cannons firing and the shockwave knocked the Sword of Eden from my grasp.  
And then Davout gestured at us with the Apple, once more the mysterious powers engulfing me, and pinning my arms to my sides. Behind me I could sense that the same thing had happened to my companions.  
Davout laughed, the powers of the Apple forcing us to our knees.  
"You are meddling with a power that you do not understand," bellowed Shay from my side.  
"Oh, I understand it perfectly."  
"You are a damned fool, Davout," I shouted, glancing once more towards the Sword of Eden, mere inches from my grasp.  
"And yet, I have beaten you."  
If only I could reach the damned Sword. I struggled, but even I couldn't resist the Apple's power.  
I cursed angrily; the Sword would have no doubt protected me from the Apple.  
Where was Élise?

And then pistol fire echoed around the cavern. The Apple shone brightly once more, forcing me to close my eyes under its intense glare. The cave echoed once more with the Apple sending out a pain filled screech. It was deafening, the sound of the screech nearly enough to make me pass into unconsciousness. And then the light faded. I opened my eyes, but still couldn't move.  
Davout's men were dead behind him, blood covering their uniforms, and Élise and her Templars had the man himself surrounded.  
I felt a surge of pride towards Élise as she had thought to grab the Sword of Eden from the ground, and now held it leveled towards Davout.  
"It's over," she spat towards him.  
"No, it has only just begun," he replied triumphantly, "Templars… with me."  
I could only watch, horrified as nearly all of the Templars that had come with us walked over to Davout's side and faced off against Élise, and her two last companions, their swords leveled at their former companions. I could only watch as men and women who I had considered allies, and some of them, friends, joined Davout. I felt my heart lurch as even Joachim Murat walked to his side.  
The only comfort was that Marius and another of the Templars had remained true to our cause. But it still wasn't enough.  
It was starting to come together, ever since our attack in the Rhine, Davout had been too quiet for comfort. He had clearly been gathering support from among the Templars, and now it was time for them to show their true colours.  
I could see anger spark in Élise's eyes, "What are you doing?"  
"I pledge myself to Louis-Nicolas Davout, true Grand Master of the Templar Order," said one of the Templars, Guillume Brune was his name. I marked his face, adding it to my list. He would die by my hand for this.  
Élise's face stared to pale as she glanced into the eyes of the men and women who had turned on her, and with smirks on their faces, they all uttered the same words together.  
"I pledge myself to Louis-Nicolas Davout, true Grand Master of the Templar Order."  
And then he raised the Apple above his head and unleashed its power once more, sending the two Templars with Élise to their knees.  
I could see them straining to escape the influence of the Apple's power, but it was to no avail.  
Davout's followers started forward, and with her sword raised, Élise backed away, keeping out of range of her new enemies.  
Almost casually and with contempt written on his face, Guillume Brune shoved his sword through the chest of Marius' companion. Blood ran from his mouth as he collapsed to the ground without a sound.  
"You are a fucking traitor Davout, and one day soon we will have your life," bellowed Marius as Brune raised his bloodied sword once more, "I swear, we will!"  
And then Guillume Brune thrust his sword down into my friend's chest.

The power of the Sword of Eden had somehow managed to leave Élise with control over her own body, its own abilities counteracting those of the Apple. I watched as she backed away from the Templars, her sword raised.  
"Lower your weapons," she called to the men moving on her, her voice not betraying her nerves, "I command you."  
"I must say, I'm impressed," shot Davout, "I had no idea that the Sword could counteract the effects of the Apple. No matter," he turned to the Templars before him, "Kill her."  
I strained on the bindings, struggling to wriggle free. I found them listening, but not enough.  
Michel Ney was the first to reach Élise, and he hefted his sword, preparing to attack his leader.  
"Michel," he said, her voice commanding, "stand down."  
"You do not command me," he roared, lashing out with his sword.  
Élise deftly parried the blow and leapt to the side, diving into a roll. She came to her feet and looked to the Templars, before bellowing, "My name is Élise de la Serre, I am your true Grand Master, and you will obey!"  
The Sword of Eden glowed briefly and the Templars halted, looks of confusion coming across their faces. It lasted briefly, before they shook off the cloud that the Sword had placed on them. The Sword was still weak, but somehow, Élise had awoken its former power.  
"Monsieur Murat," called Davout, gesturing to where we were pinned, "kill the Assassins."  
He nodded and then moved on us where we knelt, his sword drawn.  
I pulled at my invisible bindings once more, but to no avail. I screamed at myself, pulling for all I was worth. I could see my former friend walking towards the line of kneeling Assassins, his sword held before him.  
And then Murat plunged his sword into the first of my comrades.  
I looked up and saw the man crumple to the ground, blood gushing from his chest. On the other side of the chamber Élise was fighting the Templars, and one lay on the stone before her, his throat opened, but she was about to be overwhelmed, there were simply too many opponents for her to fight at once.  
Beside me another Assassin was killed by Murat, collapsing in a pool of blood. I felt my skin turn cold, and then I realized that Shay was next.  
And there was nothing that I could do.  
I was helpless.

And then the Sword of Eden started to glow in Élise's hand.  
Élise glanced at the golden blade as somehow it reactivated, its power returning.  
"Knights of the Templar Order," she bellowed, her voice resonating around the chamber, "I command you to lower your weapons."  
And then the Sword of Eden ignited with a golden energy, tendrils of light snaking out from the blade and striking each of the Templars, sending them crashing into the stone walls of the cave. They may motionless, all knocked unconscious by the blast.  
And then with a cry, Élise charged the man who had turned on her, Louis-Nicolas Davout, the Sword of Eden clashing with his own cutlass.  
Golden sparks erupted around the chamber as the pair fought, both the Apple and Sword glowing angrily. I felt the invisible ropes binding me slip off and I leapt to my feet and ran towards Élise and Davout. But before I could get to the fight, Alessa Lucian had risen and whipped out a second pistol, before firing it at the duel. I heard Davout cry out in pain and there was an explosion of light.  
I felt my heart pound in my chest and I remembered the fight in the Temple du Maris. I cried out as pain flooded my heart, "ÉLISE!"  
Élise flew towards me and hit the ground, before turning her fall into a backwards roll. She came to her feet by my side, the Sword firmly in her grasp.  
Thank God, she was still alright.  
Davout lay on the ground, and as I watched he struggled to his feet, looking around for the Apple.  
There! It lay halfway between us.  
I sprinted for all I was worth and dived just as he did.  
We crashed into each other and I grabbed the Apple, before slamming my fist into his chin. He rolled backwards and came to his feet, his lips pulled back in a snarl.  
And then I heard the sound of groans coming from about the chamber, followed by the sound of steel ringing.  
The Templars had reawakened.  
And they moved to stand by Davout, their swords leveled at us.  
The power of the Apple had overcome that of the Sword.  
All the Assassins had risen now, and then came to stand beside us, their own weapons at hand.  
Despair came to me then; everything that we had worked so hard to build had been undone. Once more the Templars and Assassins would be at war.  
We had failed.  
I drew my cutlass and prepared for battle.  
Despite the alliance falling apart, we could still defeat Davout if we acted quickly enough. And I still had the Apple.  
And then a resounding crack came from above.  
And then the cave started to shake.  
I knew what was going to happen next.  
"Follow me," I bellowed to my companions, sheathing my sword, before turning and running from the chamber, just as the first of the roof started to collapse.

The sunlight nearly blinded me as we reached the surface and gasped for breath, dust had filled the cavern as we had ran making it almost impossible to see and breath. I turned back to see the cave fully collapse. I hoped that Davout and the Templars had been caught under the wreckage. I prayed it.  
"Look, there," called Élise, gesturing into the distance with her sword.  
I peered over to where she had indicated and swore.  
Davout and his followers had found the second entrance and were riding away as we spoke.  
"We have failed," I murmured, "the alliance is dead, and any hope for peace along with it."  
Élise sat beside me, "We didn't fail, Arno. Yes, the Templars and Assassins will be fighting again, once more at each others throats, but at least we had the courage to try for change."  
I nodded and took a deep breath, "Perhaps Connor was right… perhaps it was just a dream," I glanced at her, "what of Murat? He was always by your side and he seemed to truly believe that an alliance was possible."  
Élise looked at me sadly, "I don't know…" she said, "Joachim was always such a close supporter, hell, it was because of him you were able to save my life."  
I felt sadness weigh in my chest; Murat had been a friend to us both. As had Marius, and now, Élise's former lieutenant was dead, and the horseman had turned. Losing them both was a hard blow to bear.  
"I still cannot believe it," I murmured, looking to Élise sadly, "but what will you do now that Davout has command of the Templars?"  
I could see her eyes moisten slightly, "I have lost the Order, that much is certain. I am no longer a Grand Master, and I have no doubt that they will abolish my name from their ranks."  
I nodded sadly and took her hand. I knew what it would mean to her, I knew what she would be feeling. She would be thinking that she had failed her parents, failed everything that they had sought to achieve. Élise would be very, _very_ wrong it that regard.  
"You may not be a Templar any longer, but you can still make a difference in this world."  
She smiled gratefully and squeezed my hand. In a few words I had made a world of difference to her.  
"So," said Shay, striding over, "what will you do now, Arno?"  
I had given it some thought before leaving Paris, and now I would have the time to do what I had intended.  
"The Precursor artifacts are no longer safe in Paris, well the Apple at least," I glanced at Élise and smiled, "As you seem to be the only one who can unlock the power of the Sword, perhaps we should keep it, just in case something like this happens again."  
"That would be for the best," Élise nodded, "without the Sword, we would not have been able to counteract the power of the Apple."  
I looked back at Shay and smiled, "I plan to return to Paris briefly, there are some things that I must see too, and then I will hide the Apple somewhere that Davout cannot find them, out of the prying eyes of anyone who would use them to further their own ends," I glanced at Élise and smiled, "and I have an offer for you."  
She returned my smile and nodded, "I know what the offer is, and I will accept. Despite not being a Templar any longer, I can still change this world for the better."  
We sat together in silence for a few moments, and the future no longer seemed as bleak.  
"This was my last fight," Shay added quietly, and I knew that he meant it. The war had taken a huge toll on the older man. He glanced at me sadly before continuing, "I will leave saving the world to you now," he gazed into the distance, "and I have a feeling that war is coming to Europe, far larger than anything that I have ever witnessed before."  
"I fear that you may be right," I replied and in my heart I knew that we would be right. The last few years had seen war after war, and things were about to fully erupt. "And now that Davout and many other Templars are in positions of power, the war will come swiftly. I am sure of it."  
"The artifacts cannot remain here then," said Élise solemnly, "where will we take them?"  
I knew exactly where to take them; I knew exactly where to go. Perhaps on the voyage I could pay my respects to the great Mentor from the third Crusade, Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad.  
"The Sword will remain with us, either in our vaults or within Jacques de Molay's vault. And as for the Apple," I smiled into the distance, before turning to Élise. I took her hand and stood to my feet, pulling her up with me, "I have always wanted to see Egypt."

iii

It reached the stroke of midnight when I met with my fellow Assassin Masters in the council chambers. He had been back from the Rhine with just enough time to wash and freshen up a bit before the induction was to begin. It had also given me the time needed to send a dispatch to Egypt to inform Al Mualim, the leader of the Cairo sect of Assassins of our impending arrival, and it had given Élise time to meet with a doctor, although, she had not told me the reason yet. I was a little worried, but I knew Élise, and I knew that she would tell me when she was ready to.  
This would be the last day I spent in Paris before departing for Egypt, the last day before I began my journey to make safe the Precursor artifacts and as we had decided on the ride back, the Sword would be made safe within Jacques de Molay's vault once more.  
I would be going only with Élise, and though thought gave me a lot of joy. We would be getting an overdue break from all the fighting and scheming. We would be getting a few months to ourselves. I felt myself smile, I wanted this to be over with as soon as possible so that we could be under way.  
For the first time in almost a year I stood in the council chambers of the old Assassin hideout. It brought back memories, my induction and exile, Monsieur Bonnaire granting me the rank of Master. Messieurs Beylier, Merlin de Douai and the third master, by the name of Alexandre de Cavey stood at my side, all of us garbed in long white cloaks with their beaked hoods drawn over our faces. Another Assassin stood to my back, a hidden blade adorning a pillow in his grasp. A few more members of the Brotherhood, including Sophie Trenet and Alessa Lucian were in attendance, wishing to take part in the initiation. This was almost alien to me; it seemed only yesterday that I as a novice, and now, I was the Mentor, performing an induction of my own.

I smiled at the woman before us, wearing a simple white shirt and grey breeches. She was kneeling in the same trance like state that I had been induced with after drinking from the initiation goblet. I smiled, remembering the foul tasting concoction that I had been made to drink before becoming an Assassin. I had no doubt that she would have hated it as much as I had.  
Her eyes flickered open and she looked around the room, coming out of her trance. Her eyes settled on me. It was time.  
I stepped forwards, "These are the words spoken by our ancestors. These are the words that lay at the heart of our Creed."  
"Stay your blade from the flesh of the innocent," spoke up Master Beylier.  
"Hide in plain sight," intoned Merlin.  
"Never compromise the Brotherhood," finished Master de Cavey.  
I looked down at the woman again, "Let these tenants be branded upon your mind. Follow them, and be uplifted. Break them at your peril. Rise, Assassin."  
I gestured to the woman and she rose before me, pride glowing in her eyes, along with a kind of sadness. The Assassin at my back strode forward with the hidden blade.  
Sophie Trenet emerged from the shadows, before taking the wrist blade from the Assassin and strapping it to the woman's arm.  
I gestured to the woman again as Trenet stepped back, pride filling my chest.  
"Élise de la Serre is dead," I told the woman before me with a smile, "she has been culled from the world, with her sins and failures turned to dust. Tonight she is reborn, a Master of the Assassin Brotherhood."  
The Council had agreed with me that Élise she be inducted as a Master. Beylier, Merlin and Cavey all agreeing that Élise had proven her worth time and time again as a leader and warrior.  
Élise flexed her wrist, engaging the hidden blade. She sent me a wink, before sheathing it.  
I smiled back, before indicating another Assassin to approach, Élise's blue frock vest in his hands. She took it from him and buttoned it over her shirt. She smiled as she saw the new addition. I knew that the vest meant a lot to her so I hadn't simply made a new robe; instead a hood now adorned the blue vest.  
And just like that, Élise de la Serre, formerly a Templar Grand Master, became an Assassin.  
Together we would forge a new world. 

iv 

We arrived at the Calais docks, ready to begin our voyage to the Eastern lands. I walked hand in hand with Élise down the dock front, just talking. Brining back memories from our childhood, more than one making Élise blush. I couldn't help but laugh at a memory of us being chased by an angry cook after stealing yet another pie from the kitchen. Suddenly Élise stopped and turned to face me, before digging inside her satchel and bringing out a book.  
"I wanted to tell you something before we go, and to give you this."  
She handed me the tightly bound book and I looked at her, slightly confused.  
"This is my first journal," she told me with a smile, "I would like you to read it, perhaps then you will understand a little more about what I have been through, a little more about the paths that I chose, and those that were forced upon me."  
She was giving me this so that there would be no more secrets between us. I smiled, joy filling my chest, "Is it strange?" I said thoughtfully, trying to hold back a smile, "that I am intrigued to find out about your rebellions at the Maison Royale, and the punishments you received for being such a disruptive student?"  
She glared daggers at me and I couldn't hold back the laugher anymore. Élise playfully punched my shoulder and shook her head, " _Mon Dieu_ ," she pouted, "what did I ever see in you?"  
And then she started to laugh too.  
I held her in my arms for a moment before she stepped back and her smile faltered, "And there is something else."  
"What is it?" I asked, seeing her like this worried me.  
"Arno, last night I went to see a doctor, and…" she started nervously, looking into my eyes, gauging for a reaction, "Arno, I'm pregnant."  
My heart stopped.  
"What? How did that happen?"  
Élise turned away, before replying sarcastically, "Well, Arno, when we-"  
I shook my head and took her hand, spinning her into my arms. I felt joy radiate through my whole being, I was going to be a father.  
I planted a kiss on her lips and smiled, "I love you."

We met with Alessa and Shay in front of a ship bound for Italy. The pair had grown close; I couldn't help but smile, very close indeed. I was happy for them. They had both lost so much, and to find happiness after all that they had been through made my heart swell. Shay was finally giving up the life of a Templar and he deserved his rest. No longer was he plagued by the guilt that had been with him for decades, helping us, helping me, had eased his conscious.  
I embraced Shay like I would if he were my own father, "Take care of yourself, old man."  
He chuckled, "Careful now, Arno, this old man still knows a few tricks."  
I clasped his arm and then moved to bid Alessa farewell as Élise embraced the old Templar.  
"It was an honour to meet you, Mademoiselle Alessa," I told her with a nod, "I hope that we will cross paths again."  
Something in my heart told me that we would meet again.  
She leaned forwards and kissed my cheeks, "It was an honour to fight by your side, Mentor."  
Alessa stepped back and stood with Shay, "Farewell… _fratello mio._ "  
And then they took up their luggage and headed up the long wooden ramp onto the ship itself. I heard the captain call something, and then the long white sails unfurled and the mooring lines wear released. And just like that, they were off, heading into a new life.  
I raised an arm and waved as the ship slowly sailed away from the dock, and my heart lifted to see the pair return the gesture.  
I turned back to my wife when the ship was gone from sight and I placed a hand on her belly, "I have thought of a name," I told her with a smile.  
"Arno," Élise shook her head and rolled her eyes, "I think that I may get some say in the matter."  
"François," I said simply, gazing into her emerald eyes.  
I watched as they filled with emotion and started to moisten. She threw her arms around me and jumped into my arms. I could feel her smile into the side of my neck.  
We stood locked in an embrace for a few moments, "And if it's a girl?" she asked after a while.  
There was only one possible answer, and it easily rolled off my tongue.  
"Julie." 

Extracts from the journals of Élise de la Serre 

_Dearest Father,  
Our plans to build a better future by allying with the Assassins failed. As it would happen, those within the Brotherhood and Templar Order mostly backed the cause, and I have no doubt that within time the two orders could have united under one banner. It was not to be so. The tradition of endless war was, in the end, too much to overcome, even for us. A man within our Order used the powers of the Apple of Eden to destroy any chance that we had of a lasting peace, and the malcontents within the Order turned their backs on me. Even my friend Marius DeCuir was powerless, but he fought them until his final breath.  
It is not the end, however dark things may appear. And while I am no longer a Templar, I had thrown in my lot with the Assassins. It will come as a surprise to you, my becoming an Assassin, but I could not simply walk away and let Davout and his new Templar Order win. I once thought that I could never trust the Assassins, and it would appear that I was wrong, especially now that Arno had become the Mentor of the Creed. I only hope that we will be enough to stop what is coming. We fear that Europe is about to be engulfed in a war far beyond what any of us have ever seen, I can only pray that we have the strength to stop it from destroying the nations that it will consume.  
The revolution is all but ended, with General Bonaparte defeating a large force of royalists that marched on the Convention offices on the fifth of October. Napoleon Bonaparte is a great man, and I have no doubt that he will lead France into a better future for us all.  
Aside from which, Arno and I are expecting our first child towards the beginning of Summer next year, and I must say that the very thought of becoming a mother is nerve racking. We are planning to repair our chateau in Versailles upon our return from Egypt, so that we will have a fine place to raise the child.  
I miss you and Mother so terribly much, and I wish more than anything that you would still be here to witness your grandchild grow._

 _Your beloved daughter,  
Élise ___


	3. The Rats

2 December 1795

i

Dull light flickered from the flaming torch that I held before me, casting the crumbling passageway in an eerie orange light. Much of the brickwork was crumbling, as one would expect, having been abandoned for near seven hundred years. I glanced at Élise who walked at my side, a confident smile upon her lips. I grinned at her and winked, before glancing down at her belly, the place where our _child_ now grew. I could feel myself growing more and more excited every day, the very thought of having a baby with the woman that I loved made me feel complete. It had been just over one month ago that Élise had told me that she was pregnant. And while she was beginning to get frustrated at the amount she was having to limit herself, she was also secretly happy about the fact that we would soon have our first child. And I couldn't have been happier.  
Despite everything that had happened over the last seven years, losing almost everyone that we loved, everyone that had fallen in the never ending war between the Assassins and the Templar Order, I had gained a wife, and soon a child. In less than eight months a new child would be roaming the halls of the La Serre estate in Versailles. I chuckled at the thought; no doubt the child would get up to as much trouble as myself and Élise had in our childhood. Well, we had never really stopped getting caught up in trouble, had we?

I glanced around as we walked through the threshold into a larger room. Crumbling scaffolding littered the stone room, much of it laying in piles on the ground. The odd bit of armour and weaponry lay scattered on the stones, and I thought that I could make out some decomposing skeletons. No doubt people had tried to raid the tomb over the last few centuries, but without the keys, no one could gain entrance to the great library of Altaïr. The great castle of Masyaf had been abandoned long ago when the Khans and their hordes of horsemen had invaded from the East, killing all before them. Even the Assassins had been forced to give up their ancient home to survive the onslaught that followed in the wake of the horde. Many had tried to claim the great citadel for themselves, and the Templars nearly had succeeded three hundred years ago. But thanks to the great Ezio Auditore, the halls still lay abandoned, not a Templar in sight.  
The bodies littering the ground however, did show that many had heard of the supposed treasure that was held within Altaïr's library. But the huge door before us lay untouched by chisel, hammer and explosion. It was said that Altaïr designed the library himself, and with the aid of his own Apple of Eden, had made it impossible to enter, well, unless you had the five keys. The very keys that Al Mualim, Mentor of the Cario Assassins, had given me last week to gain entrance to the library and the corpses about the room proved that point.  
I shook my head to clear it as we came up to the door, and after sending a grin to Élise, I reached for my satchel.  
"Do tell me that you have not lost them," Élise told me with a wink, her voice laced with her usual sarcasm. "Now that could prove awkward to say the least."  
"Madame de la Serre, you offend me with your cruel, cruel words," I retorted with equal sarcasm, before pulling the five circular keys from my satchel and giving Élise a theatrical bow, "Your keys, my lady."  
She laughed and took the proffered keys, before glancing at the door and expanding her senses. For the last month I had been teaching Élise about the Eagle Sense ability, and as Bellec had told me all those years ago, anyone could learn the skill if they truly tried.  
And Élise had tried.  
While she would never be able to use the ability to the same level as I could, she could still use it to find things, such as the key holes on the library door.  
Élise shook her head as she left her trance like state, before sliding the keys into the door. They seemed to glow for a moment, and then the door started to slide into the wall above it. I felt a pang of sadness. The great library had been transformed into a tomb for the great Mentor, Altaïr. And through the strange powers f the five keys, I had been able to relive some of the Assassin's memories, to see the road that his life had taken him. From an arrogant and reckless young man, he had transformed into the wisest among our Order.  
"Arno?"  
I felt a hand touch my arm and I looked at Élise, the memories of Altaïr's life fading. She had shared in the visions that the keys had shown us.  
"Here we are," I told her, "the end of the road."  
With a smile Élise took my hand, and side by side, we descended down the flight of stairs before us, down into the bowels of Masyaf.

The passageway before us was unlit, but with our heightened senses, we managed to walk to the first unlit torch with little trouble. We slowly made our way down the hallway, bringing to life the torches that lined the walls. Slowly but surely we were bringing life to the ancient passageway. And then I saw it. Before us, in the very center of the chamber, stood a stone tomb. Ezio himself had been the one to bury the great Mentor. I shot Élise a glance, before walking over to the coffin. I knelt before it and closed my eyes, before placing my left hand over my heart.  
"Repose en piax, my brother," I whispered.  
I felt Élise kneel beside me and say the same words.  
Altaïr had been dead for nearly seven hundred years, but he had done more for the Assassins than any man since. He deserved not only our respect, but the legendary status that he held to this day among the Order.  
I slowly rose to my feet and looked at the lid of the coffin, where a likeness of the great Mentor himself was carved. Clasped in his hands was an object, a circle shining gold. It held exactly the same shape as the keys that we had used to gain entrance to the tomb.  
"Another key?" inquired Élise with a note of confusion, "is there another tomb?"  
I smiled back at her, "No, I do not think that this one is a key."  
I knew exactly what memory this key would contain, the final moments of Altaïr's life.  
And with that, I reached out and took the artifact. I held it out to Élise, who with a smile, placed her hand upon it. And then once more we entered Altaïr's memories.

My eyes flickered open and I came back to reality as the last of the visions faded. I took a deep breath. The memory had shown a time barely hours before the Mongols had arrived at Masyaf, when Altaïr had ordered the fortress to be abandoned. It had shown Altaïr's final moments, before old age took him from this world. And the key had revealed one other thing…  
I glanced at the far end of the library, taking in the pedestal that stood beneath the Assassin symbol. And atop the pedestal sat a second Apple of Eden.  
"It cannot be…" muttered Élise, taking a step towards the second Apple.  
I reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, "No, this one must remain here. It is not intended for us, and I have no doubt that it will be safe within the library."  
She nodded back to me, "Why don't we leave the other Apple here? And I very much doubt that any looter will be able to break in."  
I smiled; the thought had crossed my mind.  
"I do not think that it would be wise to put two artifacts together. Besides which," my smile transformed into a devilish grin, "I have always wanted to visit the pyramids."

ii

Another two weeks had passed, and our stay in Cairo was most enjoyable. However, both of us had been growing restless, very restless. We were both impatient to lock the artifacts away, never to see them again, and to return to Versailles, where we planned to return the La Serre chateau to its former glory. But now, finally, after two long weeks, Al Mualim was leading us deep into one of the pyramids not far from Cairo itself. As he told us, the pyramid held a tomb at its center, belonging to some ancient Pharaoh if the stories were true. And it remained untouched by thieves and raiders. Al Mualim assured me that while Cairo remained firmly in their hands, the Assassins would defend the pyramid catacomb with their lives.  
I looked down at my satchel, feeling the weight of the Apple within. I took a deep breath, the artifact's strange power had been draining me for weeks, and I was looking forward to being rid of it, and all the memories that it brought back. Élise touched my arm and gave me a smile. I could see the weariness in her eyes, she was feeling the pull of the artifact as well. Soon we would be rid of the Apple for good.

And then we came to dead end. A stone wall stood before us, blocking our path further into the pyramid. I smirked, one day we would find a hidden vault that required no secret key to find, no hidden button to press or level to pull.  
"Here we are," said Al Mualim in his deep but calming voice. He reached out and handed his torch to me, before striding over to the edge of the wall before us. I watched as he reached up and grasped one of the torch brackets. He looked at us for a second, before pulling the bracket down.  
Aha, it was a lever.  
The wall before us slowly slid into the ground, revealing a vast chamber, littered with gold and jewels of every kind.  
I whistled, "I was not expecting there to be any actual gold…"  
"Well, the Pharaohs were wealthy men," Al Mualim chuckled. "I shall wait for you here."  
I nodded to the Mentor, and then walked into the tomb of the ancient king.

"We should find a place where the Apple will not draw attention," said Élise simply, before walking over to where a pile of richly embroidered rugs lay.  
I glanced around the room, there had to be a place for it, a place where no one would disturb it. _Hide in plain sight_ , the second tenant of the Brotherhood came to me. It was true; people rarely actually saw what was right under their noses. And with that, I walked over to a bronze table covered with golden cups and other lustrous artifacts. I drew the Apple out from my satchel and gave it a last glance. I could feel its power pulling me in, trying to compel me to keep it.  
I shook my head and placed it on the table, hiding it amongst all the other golden artifacts. Here it will remain, out of reach for anyone who wishes to use it for evil. I turned back to see Élise looking at me curiously and I made my way over to her.  
"So, now that the piece of Eden is hidden, never to be heard of again," she said with a smile, "what will we do next?"  
I chuckled, "I think that we should look to our future," I smiled and placed a hand on her belly, "in eight months we will have our hands quite full."  
" _Mon dieu_ ," Élise waved her arms in exasperation, "I didn't plan on getting pregnant. This is your fault."  
I raised an eyebrow and crossed my arms.  
Elise's lips started to curl upwards and then she started to laugh, "Damn it, Arno… fine, it is _half_ my fault. But one is all that I want; being pregnant does not suit me. Not in the slightest."  
I nodded, "Alright, although I sure that you will make a fine mother."  
She glared daggers at me, before I put my arms around her. She leaned her head into my chest, her fiery hair ruffling against my chin.  
"I want our child growing up away from all the Assassin and Templar business," Élise said after a moment, "I had this 'destiny' forced on me, and I don't want it to happen to our child."  
"I understand, and believe me, I want that for our baby as well. No one should have their destiny chosen for them."  
"Thank you," was all she said.  
Nothing else was needed.  
Our child would grow up in a loving house away from the petty wars of the Assassins and Templars.  
Élise broke away and a playful smile broke out on her lips, "Although, our child will most certainly not become one of those stupid and helpless types."  
I smiled back, "And I suppose a _little_ weapons training wouldn't go amiss."  
Élise took my hand and laughed, "Remember when we were children, Arno? All the mischief that we got up to within the chateau?"  
I glanced over at Élise. I knew what she was thinking. Our child would be a combination of the both of us.  
Oh no.  
We would be in for an interesting few years…

26 July 1796

i

I glanced out the window, watching as the sun vanished below the horizon, casting Versailles in an orange glow. Since our return from Egypt we had put all out efforts into rebuilding the de la Serre chateau, and well, we had managed to return the house to its former glory. We had planned to finish the repairs so that our child would have a proper home, and not just live in some hotel or Assassin hideout in Paris. No, we had chosen to move away from Paris so that our child could grow up in safety and peace within these walls. And we had finished the repairs just in time.  
I smiled to myself as I moved my gaze towards the bed before me. Élise, wearing one of those hated dresses, lay wrapped up in blankets, fast asleep. The last few days had been exhausting to say the least, and after more than a few unsavory words, Élise could finally rest and recover from childbirth. Barely five hours before, our child had come into the world, kicking and screaming. She was a beautiful baby girl and already I could see tufts of dark red hair sprouting from her head. She had all her mother's features, well except for her deep brown eyes. Those it appeared, came from me. And as I had promised Élise nine months ago, we had named her Julie.  
Julie Dorian.  
I smiled as I held Julie's tiny form in my arms, a bundle of white blankets wrapped about her. Like her mother, she was fast asleep. Élise stirred in her bed and I watched as her eyes fluttered open. She gave me a weak smile, but I could see the happiness in her eyes. I grinned back and stroked Élise's cheek, before taking her hand with my own.  
"You are allowed to rest, you know?" I told her with a wink.  
"I have been on my backside for long enough," she retorted and wriggled up into a sitting position, her back now leaning on the pillows behind her. "I think one is more than enough… I couldn't handle another day without doing something."  
I shook my head in exasperation, "After years of constantly watching your back and praying that you will live to see the next day, you're telling me that you do not want a break from it all?"  
"Precisely," she pulled on my hand and I sat down on the bed beside her, "what else is a woman to do?" Élise looked down at the loose white dress that she was wearing and gave it a disgusted look, "besides which, It has been far too long since I have worn _proper_ clothing and not these infernal dresses that I have been confined too…"  
I started to laugh, her sarcastic humour had returned, "I see that you are feeling better."  
"Me? I am just looking forward to being able to walk around without a certain someone watching to make sure that I don't hurt myself."  
Élise glared daggers at me and plucked Julie from my arms, holding our baby to her chest. I placed an arm around her back.  
"Well we couldn't have you risking yourself while you were doing your 'duty to France'," I replied sarcastically, "being in your fragile state and all."  
Élise laughed and looked at me, "I am many things, Monsieur Dorian, but fragile is not one of them."  
I looked to the heavens and chuckled, "Has there ever been a more stubborn woman."  
"Me? Stubborn?" she chortled, "have you seen yourself?"  
I grinned and planted a kiss on her forehead.  
She laughed and leaned into my side, her head resting on my shoulder.  
We sat there in silence for a few moments before Élise glanced at me curiously, before reaching into my coat pocket and pulling out an envelope. One that had arrived not long after Julie had been born.  
"What's this?" she said, while looking closely at the envelope, as if searching for a hidden compartment, "what did Napoleon want?"  
"The General?" I glanced at Élise, "he was inquiring after you mostly."  
She peered at me again, "Mostly?"  
"The rest can wait for later," I told her with a smile, "It is of little consequence."  
"Arno…"  
I shook my head and grinned, had there ever been a woman as stubborn as Élise? I doubted it…  
"It is just an update on his Italian campaign. In short, it is going very well. The Austrians are in full retreat."  
Élise nodded, "And what else? I doubt that he wrote to you just to talk about my health and his wars."  
"Élise, you just had a baby…"  
"Well, I most certainly am not pregnant anymore," she rolled her eyes, "what else did he say?"  
I sighed and glanced down at Julie, who had just woken up and had a cheeky grin on her face. I wish that the whole situation amused me as much as it did her…  
"The royalists are stirring once more. They are making a fuss about Napoleon, saying that he is setting himself up as dictator and the like."  
"Hmmmm," Élise looked at me curiously, "even if he does, would that really be such a bad thing?"  
"Those were my thoughts," I replied, "he is a good man. And if he were to become Consol, I believe that he would change our nation for the better."  
"And the royalists?"  
"There are talks that they have something planned," I told her with a sad smile, "I had hoped for some peace, especially after what happened at the Rhine…"  
Élise looked at me once more and smiled. A radiant smile that lit up her face, "You worry too much. What's done is done and we should look to our future."  
Somehow, despite everything that had happened, Élise managed to make me feel like there was nothing be afraid of, that I could overcome anything. The future did not seem at all frightening with her by my side.  
I leaned towards her and planted a kiss on her lips. I felt her smile and then she pulled away.  
"I guess that means that I am right," she teased with a devilish smile before leaning towards me and giving me another kiss.  
There was a knock and the door opened.  
And in walked Hélène.  
"I'm terribly sorry to disturb you, but a Monsieur Merlin de Doui is here to see you, Arno."  
I nodded, and smiled at the girl, "Thank you, Hélène."  
She curtsied and left the room, closing the door behind her. She had been a Godsend, Hélène. Ever since we had returned to Versailles, she had been a constant companion to Élise and had made sure that she didn't push herself to hard. She had been a great comfort to us both, especially in the weeks leading up to Julie's birth.  
Élise nudged me and smiled, "Go on then."  
I smiled back and gave her another quick kiss, before planting one on our daughter's forehead.  
"The fun never ends."  
I inwardly cursed my lieutenant; this had better be worth dragging me from Élise's side…

ii

I jogged down the flight of stairs and peered into the room before me. Merlin stood facing the door, his hand clamped on the hilt of his sword. Four other Assassins stood with him, and all it appeared, were on guard. I recognized them immediately, three had been with me when I have taken down Maximilien de Xavier over a year ago, while the forth, surprisingly enough, was Sophie Trenet's closest friend. And one of the best swordsmen in the Order, I remembered him well. I had fought him with Élise by my side the year before on a barge I remembered with half a smile, before noticing the dangerous look in his eyes. Something had happened.  
Merlin turned as I reached the bottom of the stairs and sent me a nod, "Mentor."  
I could see the worry etched on his face, his brow furrowed.  
"What is it, Merlin?"  
My lieutenant strode to my side and glanced around the room again, "One of my agents within Davout's camp has brought word that the Grand Master is sending a force of highly trained men to kill you and Élise this night."  
I looked at Merlin sharply and let out a deep breath, "Are you sure? Davout will only be able to make one direct move on this house. After all, if he kept sending raids, then sooner or later he would be found out."  
Merlin nodded gravely, "I know, however he has decided to make his move this night. And with Master Beylier fighting in Haiti, your wife bedridden and unable to defend herself, we are stretched very thin. It is the perfect opportunity to make an attack."  
I nodded thoughtfully, it did make sense.  
"I would do the same in his position…" I muttered, "Now, we must prepare to defend the estate."  
"We are at your disposal," Merlin told me with a hint of a smile.  
I glanced around the room, Merlin and the Assassins stood before me, while Hélène and Jacques stood on the landing above us.  
"We cannot defend the entire chateau from attack, we simply do not have the numbers," I said, my voice carrying to all present, "We will make our stand on the second floor and hold them there," I glanced at my lieutenant, "Merlin, take your men and start boarding up the windows. Do anything that you can to slow the attack down. Hélène, go to Élise and tell her of Davout's move. I will join you presently," I turned my gaze to Jacques, as once wishing that I had taught him the basics of wielding a sword. "Jacques, arm yourself and meet me in Élise's bedchamber. Tonight we fight, and we will hold them."

I dashed through the chateau and made my way to an old fireplace on the ground floor. I reached out and pressed on one of the panels above the fireplace, and then it sank into the ground, revealing a hidden room. I had had the room installed when he had repaired the chateau, a way to keep my Assassin life a secret. I had to make sure that Julie never knew about her heritage, I had to protect her. I strode into the hidden room and made my way over to a large wooden desk before me. A small chest sat on the table, along with my sword and pistol. I reached down and flicked the lid of the chest open, revealing my hidden blades. I quickly strapped them to my wrists and belted on my sword. They had all been honed to perfection, as beautiful as they were deadly. I grabbed my pistol and shoved it into its holster, before shutting the chest.  
I took a deep breath; I would not let Davout harm my family, no matter the cost.  
I started towards the entrance and then stopped. Although she couldn't fight, Élise would need to be able to defend herself if they broke in to her room. I turned back to the table with a grin and picked up Élise's pistol. I loaded and primed the weapon, before finally leaving the room and sealing it.

I ran back up the flight of stairs as the Assassins dashed around the chateau, boarding up windows and creating obstacles that our attackers would have to overcome to reach us. I jogged to Élise's side as she looked about the room.  
She glanced up and me and groaned, "Of course that bastard would choose to attack when I can't even stand up…"  
I chuckled and took her hand, "I will just be happy that you are out of danger this time."  
"Oh, and who will watch your back to make sure that you don't do anything stupid?" she glared at me with a hint amusement, before pouting, "It's not fair. I have been on my arse for days, and now when we finally get a chance of being in action again, I can't bloody walk, let alone fight."  
I grinned at her using the word her mentor had been so fond of, and held out her pistol, "You may not be able to fight, but you can still shoot."  
Élise smiled and took her ivory pistol, running her hands over its smooth surface.  
"It has been far too long…" she whispered, before placing the weapon on the bed beside her.  
I chuckled and walked over to the small cot where Julie lay, wrapped in blankets. I couldn't help but smile as I lifted her in my arms and made my way back to Élise.  
"Try not to hurt her too much," I winked as I passed Julie's tiny form to Élise.  
She rolled her eyes and smirked, "As you command, Monsieur Dorian."  
I laughed and then turned to Jacques, before gesturing to the door. He walked with me until we were out of earshot and then I looked him up and down, taking in the sword that was now belted to his waist.  
"I need you to stay in here with them," I nodded back to Élise, Hélène and Julie. "If anything happens to us, you are the only thing that stands between them and our enemy."  
"I understand," he nodded seriously, "I shall defend them with my life. You have my word."  
My heart rose and I placed a hand on my friend's shoulder, "You are a good man, Jacques. I only wish that I had spent more time teaching you to wield a blade, in case of events such as this."  
The groundsman half grinned, "After we deal with this, I may well take you up on the offer. I doubt that this will be the last time that Davout will send his men for you."  
"Your loyalty has been invaluable," I grinned and gestured back to Élise's room, "Now go, and do not open the doors for anyone."

I jogged back to the top of the staircase as Jacques shut the wooden doors and locked them. Merlin stood leaning on the railing, peering down into the hallway beneath us.  
"I don't like having to fight in the open," he said as I arrived, "but I understand why we have too."  
I nodded, "We have to draw them to us. Keep them away from Élise and the baby."  
"If only we had more time…"  
"Don't blame yourself," I told him seriously, "the fact that you discovered the attack at all is a blessing."  
"Even so, another hour and I would have been able to bring more than just four of our men," he replied, "and it would have given us longer to prepare. As it is, they could attack at any moment."  
"And we will repel them," I gave my lieutenant a cocky grin, "no man who steps foot within these walls will live."  
Merlin chuckled, "I have no doubt of that, Arno. No doubt."  
And then an Assassin jogged over, one who had been a lookout, "They're here."  
I nodded and then drew my sword, "Remember, we need to draw their attention to us. They will rue the very day that they made an enemy of the Assassins."  
I heard the wooden doors beneath us shudder.  
I glanced over my shoulder as the five men with me drew their swords and pistols.  
Our enemies would come hard an try and break us with the first assault. They would fail.  
No matter the cost, we had to win.  
The doors splintered and crashed open with a bang, and armed men spilled into the chateau beneath us.

My pistol crackled as I fired down on the men below, sending one crashing to the floor. The Assassins followed my lead and soon six of out attackers were dead on the floorboards. I ducked back from the railing as a volley of gunshot came our way, splintering the railing all about me and sending shards of wood into the air. And then with a savage roar, the intruders charged up the staircase, their swords drawn.  
I sprinted for the top of the stairs and reached it just before our first attacker. The man swung his blade in a vicious overhead move. I deflected his sword to the side and slammed my foot into his chest, sending him flying down the stairs into one of his companions. They crashed to the ground with grunts of pain, the bottom man with blood pooling from his broken nose. One of the other men leapt over them and dashed towards me, his sword flashing. I exchanged a flurry of blows with the man, before hammering down with my cutlass. The blow drove the man to his knees, and my second swing sliced across his chest. Blood erupted through his shirt as he crashed to the ground, and then another man came at me. I blocked his first move and then lashed out with my own. He barely had time to block the move, and then I lunged forwards and filleted him, by blade sliding between his ribs. Blood dribbled from his mouth as he fell to his knees with a groan, before falling lifelessly to the ground.  
I took a moment to steady myself and took a deep breath.  
The men below were looking at me warily, trying to muster up the courage to make an attack.  
"They're getting in behind us," Merlin bellowed from the other end of the room.  
I glanced over my shoulder and saw eight men charging down the corridor towards us.  
Damn it.  
I heard footsteps racing up the stairs and whipped around just in time.  
A sword sailed over my head as I threw myself into a roll. I came to my feet and grabbed onto the railing with my spare hand, before leaping into a vault. The man turned, expecting me to finish the move and land behind him on the stairs. Surprise erupted over his face as I hung onto the railing and used my momentum to spin towards him and smash my sword guard into his face. His nose shattered and blood erupted as fell backwards into the wall behind him. I dropped back to the ground and grabbed the man by the lapels of his coat, before spinning and throwing him bodily back down the stairs, where he crashed into one of his companions and sent them both sailing towards the bottom of the stairs.  
That way was clear now.  
I span back to see one of the intruders whip out a pistol and fire it toward an Assassin. My ally leapt aside, but the shot still smacked into his right shoulder, sending out a mist of blood. Merlin shouted out as the Assassin crashed to the ground, his sword dropping from nerveless fingers, before he shoved his sword into the final attacker's throat.  
I ran over to the fallen Assassin and crouched beside him as he grimaced in pain and took my hand. I pulled him back to his feet and Merlin handed him back his sword. The man took it in his left hand.  
"The bastards will pay for that," hissed the Assassin, taking a deep breath and holding back the pain.  
I nodded, "Let us show them what it means to be an Assassin."  
And then a shout came from below, and the stairs shuddered as men charged up them. I turned back to the stairs and readied myself, any man to reach me would die.

Two men reached the top of the stairs before me and charged together, their swords flashing towards me. I threw myself into a roll beneath the blades and came up within the reach of the first man. As I came to my feet, I plunged my cutlass into the man's chest, slipping it between his ribs. He fell with a grunt and I spun around, my sword covered in blood. The man before me glanced at my bloody sword warily, before he came at me again. I nimbly knocked his blow to the side with my sword and spun inside his lunge. I smashed my left forearm into his face, driving him back a step. I followed up my blow by slicing my sword across his stomach. Blood flowed from his wound as he toppled to the floor. I twirled my sword and turned back to the battle. I saw an Assassin desperately defending from an onslaught in the form of three of our attackers. I sprinted to help my Brother, I had to get to him in time. As I watched one of the men slipped around behind him and slashed his sword towards the Assassin's back. Somehow the Assassin had sensed the attack and swiveled around, the sword only slicing his side. As he fell, he lashed out and caught his attacker in the chest with his huge naval axe.  
I let loose a vicious snarl and then leapt into the two remaining men. My hidden blade engaged with a snick, and then I was amongst them, my blades creating a whirlwind of steel. The first man fell in a matter of seconds and then the second was backing away, his face covered in shock. I glared at the man as I advanced on him. This was the one who had injured my friend. This one was going to die at my hands. I charged at him, my sword coming up, angled towards his throat. He barely blocked the blow aside, and then I sent him a wink and stepped back. He glared back at me before swinging his sword in a blow that would have cut me from shoulder to hip. I smiled as the blade came towards me, and then I engaged my wrist blade and blocked his sword. I let my blade slide down the length of his sword, knocking it aside, before I rammed my cutlass into his chest.  
As he crashed to the floorboards I took a breath and turned around. One of the attackers, this one clad in a black coat and breeches, a sword and dagger in hand was taking on an Assassin wielding a rapier.  
He had the bearings of a leader, and as I watched, he ducked away from the Assassin and glanced over his shoulder, "NOW!"  
The window at the edge of the room exploded inwards and two more men came into the room. Another three came from the stairs and a final two came from the back entrance. I warily backed to the centre of the room, Merlin and the four Assassins at my back.  
"Give to them nothing," I told my allies, "but take from them everything."  
I felt my blood race and a devilish smile came to my face.  
Despite everything, fighting and death were my talents. My sword an extension of my arm.  
I glanced at the three men who stood facing me and twirled my cutlass in a figure of eight.  
They came at me together, swords flashing. Smart men.  
I swung my own sword up and knocked a blade to the side. Without stopping, I blocked another sword with my hidden blade and spun towards them. The third sword missed me by mere inches and then I lashed out with my own blow, catching one of the men in the thigh. He staggered back with a grunt, but his companions came to his aid before I could finish him. I heard a grunt from behind me and spared a glance over my shoulder. One of the Assassins had been engaged by three of our attackers and had taken a gash to the arm. He glared defiantly at our attackers and leveled his sword. _  
_I turned my gaze back to the men before me. I had to deal with this fast.  
One of the men smirked and edged forwards a step. His sword tip lowered slightly, he was about to make his move.  
He didn't get the chance.  
I leapt forwards and knocked his sword to the side with my own, before plunging my hidden blade into his throat. As he fell to the ground, I spun to the right and caught the next man across the stomach with my sword. I heard a blade whistle through the air, and threw myself into a roll, the sword of the final man missing me by inches. I came back to my feet and turned to face him, taking in his horrified expression. In mere seconds two of his allies were dead, while I was unscathed.  
And then he took a step backwards, his face paling visibly. He had let his fear get to him. The fool.  
I strode towards the man. He had invaded my house on the day of my daughter's birth, and sought blood. There was no mercy for that.  
I leapt towards him and swung my sword.  
He gave a startled and hastily blocked my blow, before aiming his own at my legs. I lifted my right leg as his sword sailed underneath, before hammering it into his chest. He crashed back into the wall and stumbled towards me, his sword dropping to his side. I took the opening and rammed my sword into his exposed throat.  
As he fell I turned around and saw the leader of the attackers engaged with one of the Assassins, the man who had taken the sword to the back, and the man was pushing my axe wielding ally back.  
I dashed towards the duel and launched my phantom dart at the man. He span towards me and the dart slammed into his left shoulder. He groaned in pain and then hurled his dagger at his Assassin opponent.  
Almost casually, the Assassin deflected the thrown knife to the side with the head of his axe. He was giving his opponent a cocky grin, but blood was running down his back, and I could tell that the injury was slowing him down immensely.  
I pushed myself into a sprint, determined to end our attacker's leader's life. I reached the man and rained down blows on him mercilessly. He staggered backwards under the onslaught, hardly keeping pace with me. And then he reached the railing above the ground floor, there was nowhere he could run now, nowhere but towards me. He cried out and charged at me. I ducked his attack and threw myself into him, pinning him to the railing, before I powered up to full height and threw him over the edge to the ground below. He crashed into the floor and scream in pain. I heard something crack.  
I sheathed my sword and vaulted the railing, landing next to my fallen opponent. Merlin dropped down beside me and turned his furious gaze on the leader of our attackers.  
"Why did Davout send you?" I inquired, with a savage glare, "Now of all times? Surely he knows that he could only make one attempt, less the authorities find out."  
The broken man looked up at me with a smirk, "He wants the lot of you dead… you and your traitor wife."  
"What did he tell you?"  
"He found some old ruins... Roman I believe," he mumbled, his voice fading, "he said something about Minerva and Excalibur."  
"He wants us dead because of a goddess and fairy tales?" I scoffed, Davout wanted to risk all and make an attempt on the chateau over myths? Had the Apple addled his brain?  
The man's breathing was growing ragged now and I could see the pain in his eyes. Without a doubt his back was broken, and probably his ribs as well.  
A activated my hidden blade and lowered it to his throat.  
"Repose en paix."  
I delivered the coup de grâce and glanced back up the staircase.  
And then I heard the sound of a scream, followed by a pistol firing.  
It came from Élise's bedchamber.

I sprinted up the stairs, my sword firmly in grasp and Merlin hot on my heels.  
Fear was filling my heart, fear that I had been unable to protect my family.  
I heard Julie crying, almost screaming.  
And then I heard a groan of pain and a body hitting the ground.  
I raced towards the door of our bedchamber and kicked the door inwards. The lock broke and the doors flew open.  
My eyes flickered around the room. Élise sat upright at the end of her bed, a smoking pistol in her right hand. As I watched she dropped the gun and picked up Julie, attempting to stop her screaming. My heart restarted, they were alright.  
My gaze continued around the room. Jacques was leaning heavily on the mantel piece, a bloody cut to his arm and his sword in hand. Two intruders lay before him dead on the ground, one with a bullet wound to the back, courtesy of Élise, and the other sported a bloody wound to the top of his head. It hadn't been a sword blow that had felled him.  
And then I saw Hélène, a horrified expression on her face and the fire poker in her hands. I could see the fight as it had unfolded clearly in my mind; Hélène had taken the intruder from behind when he had started to get the better of Jacques. A sob escaped her lips and she dropped the instruments, before throwing herself into her husband's arms.  
I let out a sigh of relief and sheathed my sword, before moving to Élise's side. Julie was held tightly in her arms, and had stopped crying now. Élise smiled to me as I reached her and held out a hand. I took it and let out a deep breath.  
"Why did they come for us? Davout only had a single chance and he ruined it."  
I shook my head and gestured to one of the dead men, "The man who led them said something about Minerva and the sword, Excalibur…"  
"What?" Élise looked just as dumbfounded as I had. She raised an eyebrow, "Has he gone mad?"  
"It would appear so," I chuckled, before stroking Julie's cheek and standing back up, "now, I have a mess to clean up…"

23 September 1796

i

The two months that had followed the attack on the chateau passed by without incident. It appeared that the Templar Grand Master, Louis-Nicolas Davout had indeed realized that more than one attack would draw too much attention to himself. So he stayed at the Rhine frontier and licked his wounds. But he hadn't given up. The Templars had twisted their way into the Directory and had managed to gain control over most of the gangs in Paris. They were targeting their attacks not only the poor of the city, but at us and our allies.  
It was time to strike back.

I strode through the grounds behind the chateau, the sound of wood striking wood reaching my ears. Since the birth of Julie and after weeks of inaction, Élise had thrown herself back into training with a deadly purpose, and already she was reaching her former skill. I emerged from the trees and entered the small clearing before me, where Élise spun and twirled with the grace of the master swordsman that she was, her cutlass in hand.  
I grinned as I watched her dance about the clearing with her opponent, even after weeks of nothing, she was a show off.  
The man she faced was a Master within the Assassin Brotherhood, Alexandre de Cavey. He was in his early fifties and had been training the recruits of our Order for decades. Years before he had served with the legendary Musketeers regiment, and he was one of the most skilled swordsmen that I knew, under him, Élise had quickly returned to her best.  
I watched with a sense of pride as Élise's fought with a radiant smile. She was very happy to be back in action, and it would have taken an army to keep her in bed after the weeks following Julie's birth. I almost whistled in admiration as Élise ducked passed Alexandre's defense and rapped him sharply on the side.  
Élise grinned as they broke apart and looked to me with a fire in her eyes.  
"You seem to be returning to form quickly," I told her with a wink.  
She walked up to me and smiled playfully, "It has been far too long since I have seen proper combat."  
I chuckled and looked to the Heavens. Élise always had to be in the very heart of the action.  
"That reminds me," I told her with a grin, "it has been a long while since we last dueled."  
"Is that a challenge, Monsieur Dorian?"  
"And if it were?"  
"If it were," she stood on her tiptoes, our lips almost touching, "I would put you on your backside."  
I laughed and kissed her, "I would welcome the attempt."  
Élise playfully hit my shoulder and then stepped back, her eyes still shining.  
I turned to Alexandre as he approached and sent him a nod, "As usual, your skill as a trainer proves its worth. I am in your debt."  
The Master chuckled and gestured to Élise, "Well it certainly helps if my pupil has more talent in her little finger for the sword than most do in their entire body."  
I laughed and Élise turned a shade of crimson.  
I turned back to de Cavey, "I was wondering if you could help me with something."  
He nodded, "I am at your service."  
"A Templar by the name of Émile Travert has started rallying the gangs again. I believe that he has something big planned for Paris."  
De Cavey nodded thoughtfully and stroked his short beard, "The name sounds familiar."  
"I thought as much," I replied simply, "Émile's father, Victor Travert, served in the musketeer regiment with you."  
"I remember Victor, he was a good man and a fine soldier."  
"It is a pity that he never passed that onto his son," I told him and glanced at Élise, "Émile fought under James Gabrielle as one of his lieutenants. He must have been taken in by the English Templars shortly after Gabrielle's death."  
Élise glanced at me with a shocked expression, "I had thought that we had killed all of Gabrielle's mercenaries."  
I shook my head, "Half a dozen still live. They must have been holding the boat for their commander if he had chosen to flee."  
"Damn it," Élise spat, "and those same men are now in charge of the gangs of Paris?"  
I nodded, "That they are. Which is why we need to stop them before they tear the city apart."  
When Merlin had brought word to me that some of Gabrielle's men had survived the fight at Jersey, I had felt a cold shiver run down my spine. Gabrielle's men had been well trained, and to learn that a lieutenant and five others had survived did not bode well.  
I glanced at de Cavey, he wouldn't know about Gabrielle's men, nor the lineage that they held.  
"They are well trained," I told him seriously, "Gabrielle only chose men who had been in the musketeers or were the sons of them."  
"Are you saying that musketeers served under James Gabrielle when he butchered those people at Havana?" de Cavey replied, his voice laced with venom.  
I nodded sadly, "And from the ones that I encountered, none held any regret."  
"I can only imagine. It didn't go well when King Louis disbanded the regiment for 'exceeding the royal revenue'. Perhaps if he had kept us then he would still be in power… despite that, any musketeer that I knew would never kill an innocent person. Do not worry, Arno, despite my old allegiance, I will have no qualms in killing those…" he glanced at me a dark look came across his face, "butchers."  
"I had hoped that Travert would have contacted some other men of your cloth upon his arrival, perhaps seeking to gain aid in taking control of the gangs. Maybe one of your friends has heard something."  
"I never would have thought of the day that a musketeer would become a sword for hire," began Alexandre thoughtfully, "I will find them for you. We need to stop Travert from leading the gangs on a rampage that could destroy everything that we have built."

Élise walked at my side as we strode away from the small practice clearing. She had not stopped smiling for days, obviously brought on by the sword lessons. I smiled to myself; swordplay was a very Élise kind of activity, while pastimes of other 'proper' ladies bored her to the core.  
"So," began Élise as she wrapped an arm through mine, "why did you leave so Julie early? I know you well enough to know that it wasn't just so that you could watch me train, and you could have spoken to Monsieur de Cavey at any time."  
I took her hand and sent her a smile, "Hélène and Jacques are looking over Julie now, and as I hear, their son will be Julie's finest bodyguard."  
Élise laughed and smacked my hand playfully. Our friends' son, Joseph, was nearing the age of two now and had become a right handful for his parents.  
"But you have read me like a book," I stopped and turned to face my wife, "one of the Parisian gangs is planning to steal a grain shipment that just arrived in the city. They are led by a man who goes by the name of Léonard Roux, a former blacksmith who has a habit of taking his hammer to any man who won't part willingly with their coin. He rules his district with an iron fist, and any who cry out against the injustice are silenced – permanently."  
"So, you plan to stop this Monsieur Roux from taking the grain shipment…" Élise nodded thoughtfully, a smile spreading across her face, "and by you telling me now, you would like some company?"  
"Yes," I chuckled, "you have been away from the fight for far too long, and your presence beside me has been missed. What do you say, you and me against a gang?"  
A deadly smirk came across her face and a fire burned in her eyes, "I quite like the sound of those odds. When do we strike?"  
I grinned and felt my heartbeat quicken, she was just as excited by the mission as I was.  
"I was planning on leaving within the hour," I told her simply, "we must get to Paris before dusk or we may be too late."  
"Alright," replied Élise with the same fire in her eyes, "Perhaps Monsieur Roux will be able to inform us of Émile's whereabouts."  
"Those were my thoughts," I nodded and gestured down the path, "now, why don't we go and introduce ourselves to Léonard Roux."

ii

We crouched on a rooftop overlooking the grain storehouse. We had been here for hours, and nothing had happened. The only people below us were the two soldiers guarding the grain stores, the streets had long since emptied of passersby, the streetlamps giving the area a murky look.  
I flicked open my pocket watch again, _nine o'clock_.  
"Damn it," I muttered in frustration, "If Roux is going to make a move it must be soon."  
"Oh, and I thought that I was the impatient one," smirked Élise sarcastically from my side.  
I grinned, and shot her a glance. The blue hood that now adorned her vest suited her well, as if she had been born to be an Assassin, rather than a Templar. Strands of her fiery red hair fell out of her hood and pooled around her neck. It had been far too long since Élise had been by my side on a mission.  
"You still are," I told her with a raised eyebrow.  
Élise chortled and peered down into the street before the warehouse. And then she stiffened, "Down there."  
I looked down from the rooftop and saw what her eyes had caught; a group of ten men all armed with swords and a carriage being drawn behind them.  
Léonard Roux had arrived.  
I saw the gang leader nod towards the soldiers, and then his men charged at them. Shock covered the soldiers faces as the gang swarmed towards them, and then they were enveloped in a wave of men and swords. The guards never stood a chance and moments later the gang stepped back from two bloody bodies, before kicking down the storehouse door and entering the building.  
Two of Monsieur Roux's men dragged the bodies inside and then returned to the streets, hands on their swords.  
I nodded to Élise, "I believe that was our invitation."  
"What are we waiting for?"  
And with that we dropped from the rooftops and made our way towards the storehouse.

The men glanced at us in surprise as we landed before them. With our hoods up we would have appeared as wraiths. I didn't give my opponent the chance to draw his sword. As my feet hit the ground I lunged forward and stabbed my hidden blade into his throat. Blood erupted from his wound as he died and started to collapse. His fall might alert his accomplices. I quickly reached out and grabbed the dying man. I lowered his body to the ground and glanced at Élise who had dispatched her own opponent with her wrist blade.  
Her skill with the hidden blade had come a long way in the months of training after Julie's birth; she was a natural with any weapon it appeared.  
I sent her a cocky grin and then we crossed the threshold and entered the store house.

Eight men stood before us, all with their backs turned, this couldn't have been better. I shared a devilish look with Élise, before we drew our pistols and leveled them at the men before us.  
"That grain does not belong to you," I told them, cocking my pistol.  
As one the men spun around and made to draw their swords. They saw us, both with pistols aimed and glares upon our faces and instantly removed their hands from their weapons.  
This could prove to be easier than I thought.  
"I'm looking for a Monsieur Léonard Roux," I glanced at the faces of the men present, "and would be much obliged if you could direct me to the man."  
A man stepped forward, a smirk upon his lips, "What can I do for you, Assassin?"  
Ah, so he did know of us. It made sense, being a leader of one of the biggest gangs in Paris, along with being an ally to a Templar.  
I looked at Léonard, taking in his nose that had obviously been broken more than once, his short beard and shaggy hair. More the appearance of a beast than a man.  
"I was hoping that you could give me the whereabouts of Émile Travert," I smirked, "I hear he is a friend of yours."  
"Terribly sorry," replied the gang leader sarcastically, "but I have no idea who that is."  
"Wrong answer," Élise said simply, giving the man a glare.  
"I am going to give you one last chance, Monsieur," I told Roux, stepping forward, "where can I find your employer?"  
Léonard smirked and looked at me with contempt, "I will give you a deal. Let me take the grain and I will tell you what I know."  
I glanced at Élise, was the man mad?  
"I think not," I replied, "that grain will feed the poor for a year."  
"Well then, I'm afraid that I cannot give you what you desire."  
And that was that. It had come to a fight after all and we had a chance to make the odds a little more even.  
I still needed Léonard alive, so I adjusted my aim and pulled the trigger of my pistol.  
One of the men crashed to the ground with blood staining his shirt. And then the gang charged us.

I heard Élise's own pistol boom and send another man spinning to the ground. I drew my sword and then they were on us.  
I ducked the first mans swing and rolled behind him, coming up before my second opponent just in time to shove my sword through his chest. I twirled around and deflected my first attacker's sword to the side, before catching him in the neck with my hidden blade. Beside me, Élise had taken down her first opponent and was engaging two others. And that left Monsieur Léonard Roux to me.  
We exchanged a flurry of blows, and my opponent managed to block each of mine. He was clearly was as well trained at swordplay as he was at making the weapons. He wasn't holding back.  
But I was.  
Roux had mercilessly preyed upon the poor of Paris and sent many to an early grave simply because they refused to be his servants. He had made an enemy of me before he had sided with the Templars. The time for holding back hand ended.  
And with a snarl I smashed my sword through his defense and hammered the cross guard into his face. There was a crack as his nose broke… again.  
I lashed out with my left fist and caught him across the side of his head. Roux grunted and spun away. My sword sliced across the back of his legs and then I planted a kick on his backside and sent him tumbling to the ground. I spared Élise a glance, watching as she dispatched her final opponent with her hidden blade. I sheathed my sword and engaged my left wrist blade, before crouching over him.  
"Your time of preying on those too weak to fight back is over."  
"Nothing is over," he spat venomously, "soon what is left of your Order will be but a distant memory."  
Élise crouched beside me and glared at the gang leader, "That is a fine thing to say for a man on his back, beaten by that Order."  
Léonard laughed bitterly, before looking at Élise with contempt, "My death changes nothing."  
I shook my head, "Where can I find Émile Travert?"  
"I never met him," Léonard smirked again, "I dealt only with his man Castor."  
I shared a look with Élise, Castor had been one of Gabrielle's men to have survived Jersey.  
"Then where can we find Castor?"  
"Why should I tell you?"  
I held my hidden blade over him so that he could see it clearly, "Because I only ask once."  
He spat a glob of blood out and glared up at me, before shaking his head.  
I glanced at Élise who shook her head; we both knew that there was only one way that this would end. I glared down at the man under me, "This is your last chance."  
"Let me tell you something, Assassin," was his reply, "you don't become a feared and respected leader by giving up the names of those who pay you."  
I sighed; I had thought he would say something like that.  
And that was that.  
"So be it," I raised my blade above his neck, "repose en paix."

iii

We met again with Alexandre de Cavey the following evening within the Assassin hideout. Perhaps he had had better luck tracking Émile than us. Despite having rescued the grain shipment from the gang, I felt frustrated in the fact that we had not been able to gain Travert's location from Monsieur Roux. While the Templar lived, Paris was not safe, and we had to protect the city at all costs.  
"Did you manage to stop Léonard from taking the grain shipment?" inquired de Cavey as he walked towards us.  
I nodded, "However, he failed to give up Monsieur Travert's location before he fell. Although he did mention another of Gabrielle's survivors. A man by the name of Castor."  
The Assassin looked at me thoughtfully, "I remember Castor from my days in the regiment. He always preferred drink and whores to his duty. It's little wonder he sided with Gabrielle."  
"What of you?" said Élise, looking to de Cavey, "Were you able to uncover anything?"  
The older man grinned, "As a matter of fact, yes. One of the men serving under Travert came into contact with me. Says he has a job that I may be interested in."  
I let out a sigh of relief, we were one step closer now.  
"I assume that the man was a former musketeer."  
"That he was, one of the five under Travert himself. In any case, I am meeting with the man – Marc Fortier – tomorrow within the Huntsman tavern."  
My mind worked as de Cavey told us his news. An idea instantly sprang to mind.  
"Meet with this Monsieur Fortier tomorrow as planned. Convince him to let you meet with Travert and we will follow you into the Templar's lair. From there we can easily take down their little operation and finally be rid of the gangs that have been plaguing our city."

I glanced up over my cup of ale towards where de Cavey sat with Marc Fortier. Despite being in his forties, the man had the look of a seasoned fighter. His hair was neatly trimmed and pulled back from his face, where a long scar ran down over his left eye. His eyes had a dangerous but intelligent gleam to them. I could imagine that he had been one of Gabrielle's most skilled men. I had been sitting in the tavern for almost an hour while the two old soldiers exchanged gossip, and like all soldiers, de Cavey knew that the best way to get someone talking was to get them drunk. It wouldn't be long until Monsieur Fortier led us to our prey. I glanced at the empty seat opposite and for the hundredth time wished that Élise was with me, but she was a mother first and foremost.  
I flicked open my pocket watch, _twelve o'clock_.  
Come on…  
And then the two men downed their cups and rose to their feet. I watched carefully as they headed to the door, waited a few moments until they had left, and then followed.  
I left the alehouse just as they rounded the corner into a new street, and the chase was on.

I kept my distance, using the crowd and market stalls for cover. If Fortier became suspicious, the whole plan would come crashing down.  
Now that Fortier I could see how armed he was for the first time. The same as most of Gabrielle's men, Marc wore a long rapier at his left hip and a dueling knife at his right. A pistol was shoved in a holster beside his knife and he now wore a broad brimmed hat, one edge curled up. He almost looked like an older James Gabrielle.  
I pushed my way through the throng of people, taking care to keep my target in sight as he led me through the busy streets.  
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Monsieur Fortier stopped before a former hotel and gestured for de Cavey to follow him inside.

I clambered up the wall of the hotel to just below a closed window. I pulled myself up and peered through the glass… nothing.  
I engaged my hidden blade with a flex of my wrist, before sliding it down the middle of the two glass panels, severing the lock. I eased and window open and pulled myself into the room before me.  
I dropped into a crouch and glanced around the small room. It had probably been a bedroom while it had stood as a hotel. I turned and closed the window, before expanding my senses, straining to hear anything. I could hear muffled voices from below, clearly de Cavey and Fortier, but there was a third voice. Émile Travert?  
I made my way into the corridor and silently walked down the staircase leading to the ground floor. I peered around the corner and caught sight of a man bearing a sword. No mark of the musketeers adorned his uniform; clearly he wasn't one of Travert's lieutenants. I whipped back onto the staircase as the man started to turn to face me. I heard footsteps as he made his way down the corridor.  
Closer and closer.  
And then he passed the staircase.  
His back was fully to me now.  
I made my move, leaping behind him, one arm going around his neck, the other covering his mouth. As he lost consciousness I lowered him to the ground, before making my way down the corridor. I came to another corner and peered around. Two men with swords stood guard in front of a closed door, no doubt where de Cavey, Fortier and the other man were.  
The guards complicated things; I would have to deal with them before entering. And I had to be silent, one noise could give de Cavey away to Monsieur Fortier. I loaded a dart into my phantom blade and readied the mechanism, before pulling a throwing knife from my boot. I would have to be quick in taking the guards out, and quicker still at getting to the room before the guards bodies hit the ground. I only had one chance to get this right.  
I had to find get a way to draw the guards attention to myself.  
And with that I threw myself into a roll around the corner. As I came to my feet shock was still written over their faces and they hardy reacted as my dart caught the left man in the throat, while my knife caught the right. I sprinted down the hallway as their bodies hit the ground, and I could hear a raised voice from within the room. The dead men had been heard hitting the ground.  
 _Merde.  
_ I reached the wooden door and lashed out with a kick. The door erupted open and I came face to face with not three, but eight men.  
Alexandre de Cavy had his sword drawn and was facing the other seven, two of which bore the mark of the musketeers. And all were armed with swords.

"You traitor, de Cavey," snarled Marc Fortier, taking a step towards my ally.  
"After the things that you have done," began Alexandre, "you are the one who betrayed the memory of the regiment."  
"Bloody fool," spat the other man with the musketeers sigil, "you are going to die, at the end of my sword."  
"Best of luck, Castor," shot back de Cavey with a smirk.  
I drew my sword, "You are the ones going to Hell for what you did at Havana among other places. I will give you the same fate that I gave James Gabrielle at Jersey."  
"You!" spat Fortier, "you're the Assassin who led to the deaths of many of our comrades."  
I nodded, "I am."  
"Then you are going to die at the end of my sword."  
I smirked; he was just as Gabrielle had been, arrogant until the end.  
"Many have tried, your former leader among them," I replied, the devil in me rearing its head.  
Castor laughed mirthlessly, "Seven against two, I fear that you have seen your last day, Assassin."  
"I have survived worse," I shrugged and felt my heartbeat quicken.  
I felt the familiar spark ignite in my chest as I watched our opponents, waiting for them to move. We had our backs to the door, so our enemies couldn't surround us fully.  
"Enough of this," Monsieur Fortier leveled his sword at me, "you are going to die now. For Captain Gabrielle."  
"What are you waiting for?" I smirked.  
And then with a roar they charged.

Luckily only two of the men we were facing had been part of James Gabrielle's elite force. The first to reach me came at me with an arrogant look and expected his first blow to take off my head. His face contorted in surprise as his sword met only the air above. And then my own sword slipped between his ribs. Blood gushed from the wound as he crashed to the ground, but already I was spinning away from my second attacker. Beside me, Alexandre was engaging with Marc Fortier and Castor, and slowly being pushed back. I dodged a lunge and swiped my sword across the throat of my second attacker, before falling back to my ally's side. We ducked back into the corridor, now only two could come at us at a time. The only problem was that the first two were Fortier and Castor. The walls alongside made it difficult to move, and harder still to get passed our opponents defense. I engaged Castor with a lightning fast lunge, but he deflected it at the last moment and sent his sword my way. I leapt backward, the blade missing me by inches, before lashing out again. The hallway was filled with the sound of steel on steel as we fought the former musketeers. They were both very skilled, and I found myself wondering why Gabrielle hadn't kept them with him when we faced him on Jersey. I knocked Castor's sword aside with my own, before delivering a thundering high kick to his chest. The man grunted and staggered back into the men behind. He snarled and righted himself, looking at me with hate in his eyes.  
"Shoot them," he spat to the three men behind him, before he came at me again.  
I fended off his every attack and glanced over his shoulder. The men behind had drawn their pistols and were waiting for their leaders to move aside before firing.  
And then I heard footsteps coming from both ends of the passage.  
Three more men were coming up behind Fortier and his companion. I stepped back from Castor and spared a glance over my shoulder, another four men were flanking us. Damn it, this was not good. I had to take out Castor quickly, or we were dead.  
I threw myself at my opponent mercilessly and opened a narrow cut along his forearm, before catching him on the cheek. He staggered back from my assault, his defense crumbling, and then my sword punched into his heart. Just in time.  
I spun around and deflected and attack aimed at de Cavey's back, before killing the attacker with my hidden blade. We stood back to back now, but it was too late for us, Fortier's men now had a clear line of fire to us.  
We had one chance to turn this disaster into a victory.  
I whipped out my pistol and leveled it at Fortier's head.  
I gave the men my darkest glare, a glare that promised only death, "Put down your guns or you all die."  
Marc Fortier smirked and laughed mirthlessly, "You're out of luck this time, Assassin."  
"No," I countered with a cocky smirk and shook my head, "you are."  
"Fire!" bellowed the former musketeer as he stepped back towards his men.  
And then a dark figure appeared behind Fortier and his men, emerging from the shadows like a ghost, sword and dagger in his grasp. I heard the sound of steel striking flesh, and then the three men behind Fortier crashed to the ground, blood pouring from their backs.  
And standing over the bloody corpses was Shay Cormac.

I reacted first, spinning to face the three men that had flanked us. And without a second thought I shot the first with my pistol, before dropping the weapon and leaping into their midst. I blocked their swords with my own cutlass and hidden blade, before slipping behind them and taking one down with an outflung leg. As he crashed to the ground I deflected the second man's sword, before shoving my own through his chest. As he fell I lashed out with a kick, slamming my foot into the fallen man's chin. He went out like a light, and suddenly the roles were reversed.  
Where moments before there had been the two of us surrounded and outnumbered, now we were three and we were barely outnumbered.  
Fortier hastily retreated down the hallway, his weapons blurs as he fended off de Cavey desperately, but there was nothing he could do. Behind him, Shay was furiously battling the last three men, and as I watched the first fell beneath his sword. I could see Fortier had finally gained composure and was beating back his older opponent now. Already he was bleeding for half a dozen wounds. I had to back up de Cavey before it was too late, and then he sent out a high kick that sent my ally sprawling to the ground. And then Marc Fortier glanced at the fight, seeing his men about to fall to Shay and he realized that there was no hope left. He turned tail and dashed back down the hallway.  
There was a chance that he could escape if he reached the stairs behind him. He savagely pushed through his men and threw himself into a roll as Shay aimed a blow at him, missing him by a hairs breadth, and then he was sprinting away. I sheathed my sword and ran towards the fight before me, before leaping at the right side wall and kicking off it. I soared into the air, planted another foot on the wall, and then was flying over the fight. I hit the ground with a roll, before coming back up onto my feet and powering after my enemy, I had to catch him.

Fortier glanced over his shoulder and his face showed fear for the first time. He ignored the stairs and pelted down the corridor, before turning from the hallway and dashing into a side room. I followed, pushing harder. I turned the corner just as he threw himself towards a closed window. Glass exploded as he flew through the air. He hit the ground on the other side, before pushing himself up into a sprint once more.  
I ran for all I was worth, vaulting the window sill and following my prey onto the streets. He dashed through the crowds, seeking to lose me in the throngs of people. But I would not give up.  
Slowly but surely I was catching up to Marc Fortier. There would be no escape for him.  
I saw him dash down an alley, perfect. Now I had the chance to surprise him.  
A pile of crates stood near a building undergoing repair. And next to the crates was scaffolding, large enough to get me to the rooftops. I grinned and sprinted at the crates and at the last moment leapt, kicked off the top of the pile and soared towards the scaffold. As I flew, I stretched out my arms and pushed off the edge of the scaffold. My forward momentum changed into and upwards flight, and then I was on top of the wooden structure. I pushed myself into a run again and kicked off the railing of the scaffold, once more making me airborne. I hung in the air for a moment, before coming down on the rooftop of the building opposite. Perfect.  
Tiles crumbled underfoot as I sprinted along the rooftops. Crowds would no longer hinder my pursuit, and I wouldn't need to slow to go around corners. And now I had surprise. It wasn't long before Monsieur Fortier came within sight once more, and he had slowed down. He probably thought that he had lost me on the streets, the fool.  
I leapt the gap between two buildings, and then Fortier was just below me, barely a double storied house below. I engaged my hidden blade and then dropped from the rooftop, my blade targeted at Fortier's neck.

My target looked up at the last moment; he must have heard me drop from the rooftop. He gave a shout of surprise and threw himself sideways, my blade missing his neck by inches. Fortier came to his feet and drew his sword and knife, before dropping into a fighting couch.  
"Your friend was no match for my blade," he gave me a cocky look, "do you really think that you can best me?"  
I smirked and drew my own sword, "Those sentiments were shared by James Gabrielle, moments before I ended his life."  
Fortier snarled at the mention of his former leader's name, and then charged at me, his weapons flashing. As he closed, I activated my hidden blade and adopted my fighting position. And then we came together in a clashing of steel.  
I knocked his sword to the side and lashed out with my wrist blade. He barely avoided the strike, before countering with his dagger. We exchanged a flurry of blows, neither gaining the advantage. It appeared that Fortier was almost at the same level that Gabrielle had been. Almost.  
I spun and delivered another slash. My opponent blocked the blow, but was too late to stop my foot from taking his legs from under him. With a cry of outrage, Marc Fortier crashed to the ground before me, his dagger falling from his grasp. He attempted to slice my legs with his sword, but I lashed out and smacked his weapon from his hand with my cutlass. I held my sword tip to his throat and dropped into a crouch beside him.  
"What is Émile Travert planning with the gangs?"  
Fortier gazed up at me angrily and chuckled, "You really believe that you can stop us?"  
I rolled my eyes and shot him a withering glare, "Speak."  
"Things have been set in motion, things that you cannot stop," he laughed again, "We will take this city, and lay your precious Order low. See you in Hell… Arno."  
There was nothing more that I could gain from him, it was as if these people had suddenly discovered a kind of loyalty. And with that I drove my sword into his chest. I had leant one thing; Émile was moving to take control of Paris from within, using the gangs as his man power. The Templars would not take control of Paris, not while I still had breath in my body. I sheathed my sword and started back down the alley, and a thought came to me. Why was Shay Cormac here, and how did he know of Marc Fortier?

iiii

"So, what brings you back to Paris," I grinned as I embraced Shay, "old man."  
The old Templar chuckled as he stepped back, "I had been hearing rumours that some of my former student's men had survived Jersey and were causing trouble. I had been on Mr Fortier's tail for a week, and your attack gave me the opportunity to strike."  
Shay turned to Élise and embraced her as well.  
"It is good to see you, Shay," she told him with a smile.  
"And you as well, Madame de la Serre," he winked and Élise blushed a little.  
I looked Shay up and down; he looked more at ease than he had a year ago, younger even.  
"When last we spoke, you said that Davout would be your last fight," I began thoughtfully, "what changed your mind?"  
"And there begins a tale," he chuckled once more and then gestured to a table surrounded by empty chairs.  
We moved over and I sat opposite my friend, with Élise taking the chair beside me. Shay reached into his coat and withdrew a bottle of alcohol with a grin, "And I thought that this could help aid my story."  
We burst into laughter as Shay poured three cups of the liquor, before passing us each one. I peered at the drink for a moment before taking a gulp. I felt a fire go down my throat and I coughed, feeling my eyes water a little.  
"What the devil is this?" I asked, taking a deep breath.  
"I have no idea," Shay sent me a wink, "but Alessa says that there is no finer drink in Europe."  
Beside me Élise took another gulp and looked at Shay with a grin, "Well, I knew that I liked her for a reason. I haven't tasted better."  
I glanced at Shay thoughtfully, "That reminds me, where is your charming Italian?"  
The Templar looked at me and I saw a hint of sadness in his eyes, "She is helping her father deal with the war that is ravaging Northern Italy. Your friend Bonaparte is quickly bringing an end to Austrian rule."  
I nodded, I knew as much from the correspondence that Napoleon had sent me.  
"So," I said after a few moments, "what prompted your return?"  
Shay sighed and glanced at the pair of us, "Seeing Alessa go about helping people and fighting to save innocent lives while I just watched did not feel right. In fact it was her suggestion for me to return to see this out," he gave a small smile, "and Émile Travert was one of my student's lieutenants. I want to bring an end to that sad little story."  
"With your help, we will find Travert before the month is out," said Élise with a grin, before turning to me, "Monsieur de Cavey can still work his way into Travert's confidences, can he not?"  
"That he can," I nodded, a smile playing across my lips, "all those who knew of his involvement are dead. And now that Monsieur Travert has lost two of his followers, no doubt he will be eager to swell his ranks with a certain former musketeer."  
Shay raised his cup, "The old team back together. Émile Travert will be trembling in his boots."  
We all roared with laughter and downed what was left in our cups.  
I looked at Shay after a moment, "I must say that it is good to have you back, old friend."  
Monsieur Cormac looked at us again with a grin, "Now, you must introduce me to this Mademoiselle Julie that you have often written to me about."

18 October 1796

i

It had taken almost a month of thorough planning, and even more work, but finally a letter arrived for Alexandre d Cavey. A letter sent from Monsieur Émile Travert. There was a gleam in the former musketeer's eye as he brought the letter before the Assassin council, at last we had a chance to bring down Travert and stop his plans for taking control of Paris. We met in my private office, the same room that that my predecessor, Julien Bonnaire, had named me his lieutenant and started me on the path that I now walk.  
Alexandre de Cavey held the letter before him as he read it out loud to us, a smile upon his lips. I glanced around the room, first at Élise, and then shifted my gaze to Shay and finally Merlin. Fire had ignited in their eyes as de Cavey read the note asking for his attendance at a small estate in Versailles, two days from now. It had all gone to plan, by making the presence of the Master Assassin known, Travert had been instantly drawn in, seeking to gain the aid of a former ally and brother musketeer. I pulled out a map of Versailles and located the estate where de Cavey was set to meet with Travert, from memory the chateau itself had three floors above ground and sported more than a few balconies, perfect ways for a group of Assassins to gain entrance.  
"So, you are set to meet with Monsieur Travert at _eight o'clock,_ two days from now _..._ " I said thoughtfully, "I may just have an idea."  
"Do you just?" Élise grinned and sent me a wink.  
I chuckled, Élise's sarcastic humour was just another thing that I treasured about her.  
"Our friend will have no more than a dozen guards patrolling the estate, not to mention any soldiers that he has bribed."  
"That would be about right," added Élise, "If a small force of us were to infiltrate the chateau not long after Alexandre has gained entrance, we could easily deal with Travert's men and spring a trap on the man himself. Besides which, our enemy will have no reason to distrust Monsieur de Cavey, so the same trick that you used in September may well still work."  
"What? Are you mind reader now?" I grinned in agreeance. She was right in the fact that de Cavey hadn't been found out by Émile Travert, so he could still enter the chateau under the pretences of friendship. I returned my gaze to the map before me and indicated the Northern side of the chateau, "Shay and Merlin, once we get passed the guards, I want you to slip around the side of the chateau and gain entrance here. You will find a balcony on the second floor, perhaps that could be of some use as an entry point."  
The two men nodded their agreement.  
I shared a glance with Élise and tapped the map, "Élise, you will come with me, and we will get in through a similar entrance on the Southern side."  
"Of course," she said simply, giving me a cocky smile.  
I looked at all the people assembled, the best within our Order. I could see the anticipation for the fight burning in their eyes, they were all ready.  
And suddenly I felt very sorry for Émile Travert.  
"Timing is everything," I added, "if we don't gain entrance to the chateau in time, then Alexandre's cover may be broken, and Travert may escape."  
Merlin stepped forward and placed his hands on the table, "It will not come to that."  
"Travert will not escape, you have my word," de Cavey nodded and stepped up beside my lieutenant, "with a little luck we will be in and out before any alarms are raised."  
I glanced at Shay with a smile as he spoke up, "We make our own luck," he turned to face me, "Émile Travert was there at Havana. He will not escape from justice."  
"And it is about time that we caught that butcher who calls himself a Templar," added Élise, crossing her arms.  
To see the best people that I knew have so much faith in me as a leader made my heart swell. What had I done to deserve such loyalty?  
"In two days time we will bring an end to the plague that has been infecting Paris," I said with a fire in my eyes, "we will bring Travert the justice that he deserves, for Havana and all that followed.  
ii

I peered around the corner of the house, taking in the two armed men who stood guard in front of the large irons gates of Travert's estate. The lamplight cast them in a yellow glow as I ran my gaze over them. Both were armed with swords and had pistols in their belts.  
They wouldn't stand a chance.  
It was taking out all the men beyond the wall silently that had me nervous. If one thing went wrong, then everything out be undone. Our attack had to be perfect.  
I turned back to the group assembled behind me, "Let's move."  
Élise send me a wild grin and then drew her knife. Shay shared a glance with her and then drew his own. And then as one we rounded the corner.  
The guards spared us a glance as we strode around the corner. And then I pushed myself into a sprint towards them, Merlin hot on my heels.  
I heard the two knives whistle passed my shoulder and saw a brief look of surprise come over the two guards faces moments before the knives buried themselves in their throats. I reached the first man as he started to fall and caught his body, gently lowering it to the ground, while Merlin did the same with the other guard. I reached into the dead man's pouch and pulled out a set of keys, and with a grin to my companions; I opened the gate and slipped inside the walls of the estate.  
I gestured to Élise, and then sent my other companions a nod. They returned the gesture and we parted ways, each group making way to a different side of the chateau.  
We jogged through the small grove of trees before the large chateau, taking care to spot any guards before they saw us. And then the first three came into sight, one holding a small lantern to light their way. They were heading straight for us, perfect.  
I looked to Élise, and idea forming, but she was already moving towards the nearest tree. Clearly she had had the same idea as me. We scrambled up into a tall tree and waited for what seemed like an eternity, but finally the guards walked into view beneath us. I glanced at Élise and saw her eyes ignite, and sent her a wink.  
We engaged our hidden blades, and then dropped on our unsuspecting foe.  
They never saw us coming.  
My blades punched into my two targets as I smashed into them. They were dead before they hit the ground. In front of me, Élise had likewise taken down her opponent and was busy extinguishing the fire inside the lamp. We pulled the guards behind some trees to hide them as a precaution, and then we continued on towards the chateau and Travert.

I slipped my arm around a guard's neck, while my other hand covered his mouth and I squeezed. He trashed against me slightly, before losing consciousness, and I lowered him to the ground, the chateau was no more than twenty paces ahead now. We jogged towards the chateau wall.  
And then a group of four guards rounded the corner.  
Our eyes locked for a brief moment, and then I threw myself at them, my wrist blades engaging.  
I fought like a devil, and soon two lay as corpses at my feet. Élise reached my side and took down a third with her own hidden blade. The forth man let out a cry of fear and started to sprint toward the chateau doors.  
" _Merde_ ," I spat, before charging after the man.  
He shot a look over my shoulder and saw me hot on his heels. And then he fell, Élise's thrown knife embedding itself in his back. His head smacked into the pavement and I winced, he would either regain consciousness in a few minutes, or would die in pain. Without a second thought I slid my hidden blade into his heart.  
Élise reached my side and withdrew her dagger from the dead man, before turning to me with a raised eyebrow, "Why am I the one who always cleans up your mess?"  
"Said the one who always used to get us in trouble as children," I replied with a chuckle.  
Élise rolled her deep green eyes, "Well yes, but who also got us out of trouble?"  
I grinned, hundreds of childhood memories flooding back.  
"I have no idea what you are talking about," I said, before rising to my feet, "Madame de la Serre."  
Élise grinned, "You're impossible."  
And with that we ran over to the chateau and clambered up the wall, using window sills, among other things as handholds, and within seconds we were pulling ourselves up onto the balcony of the second floor. Élise reached the closed doors first and pulled out her lock pick. I glanced through the window beside the door as she started working her tool in the lock. I peered through the glass into the room before us, taking in the furniture and low hung chandelier. There was a click and then Élise gave me a wink and slipped inside the chateau. I grinned and followed, no matter what we found inside the chateau, we were prepared.

We jogged along the hallway just as a guard rounded the corner and started towards us. His hand went to his sword just as my phantom dart slipped between his ribs. I sprinted forward and caught him before he could fall, and then gently lowered his body to the ground. This had to be done quietly or we would lose the element of surprise. We continued along the corridor until we came to a staircase that led to the third and final floor. I shared a glance with Élise, before striding up onto the stairs; we had reached the end of the journey.  
The hallway before us was empty. Too empty.  
The only sound breaking the silence was the sound of voices coming from behind a closed door halfway down the corridor.  
Why would Travert post non guards on the uppermost floor of his estate, especially if he was being hunted by Assassins? It made no sense.  
I looked to Élise, who gave me the same confused look that I knew must have been mirrored on my face. Where the hell were Émile Travert's men?  
I loaded a new dart into my phantom blade and drew my sword; we still needed to eliminate the Templar, no matter if it was a trap.  
We started down the long hallway, our senses on high alert.  
The voices were getting louder as we approached, and I could clearly make out two different voices.  
And then I heard footsteps coming up from the stairs.  
I turned back to face the way we had come, just in time to see a group of four guards armed with swords reach the hallway.  
"We're under attack!" yelled the first soldier as he bore down on me, his mouth changing into a snarl.  
Damn it, we had lost surprise.  
"Élise, take Travert," I shouted, before turning to engage the soldiers, "I'll handle this."  
I heard Élise dash down the hallway and then kick the closed door open.  
The man's sword whistled towards me, angling for my neck. Without a second thought I stepped aside, the blade barely missing me, and then sliced my own sword across my attacker's chest. He grunted in pain as his lifeblood poured out of his wound. As his knees buckled I shouldered him to the ground and ducked inside the next man's swing. His sword flashed over my head, and then I punched my own blade up into his stomach. I ripped my sword free just in time to block the next attack. I flicked my wrist and sent my new opponent's sword to the side, before spinning inside his reach and stabbing my hidden blade into his throat. One to go.  
He lunged towards me as his companion collapsed, and I barely avoided his sword. It missed by a hairs breadth as it flashed passed my stomach. But the fool had put all his power into the blow; hoping one stroke would be all it took to end my life. I grabbed his arm with my left hand as it followed in the sword's wake, and then savagely threw him to the ground. He crashed to the floor, his sword flying from his grasp, and then my cutlass plunged into his back. I stepped back as I withdrew my sword, taking in the carnage that I had wrought. Four dead men lay sprawled around the corridor, and it had taken mere moments. I glanced back down the hallway and took off at a run towards the room Élise had vanished in to. I reached the open door and leapt inside, just in time to see Élise fire her pistol into a swordsman before her. I had barely a moment to take in the dozen other swordsmen, before they charged Élise and de Cavey.

I blocked a blow aimed at Élise, and with a flick of her wrists, she drove her sword into the man's chest. To my left, Alexandre de Cavey sent another man crashing down, his rapier buried in the swordsman's throat. Two down.  
I glanced up as the windows on the other side of the room exploded inwards, and in came Shay and Merlin. They had killed three of our opponents before they knew what was happening, and then it was five against seven. Much better odds.  
I gave my first opponent a cocky smirk, before lunging towards him with a feint. He moved to counter the blow, to late realizing my fake attack, and then my sword was slicing across his exposed chest. I glanced up in time to see what was left of our enemies charge at Shay and Merlin. Two men fell in quick succession, and then we hit them from behind. I took in the man before me, noticing his musketeer symbol. Cleary this wasn't Travert, he was too old. A decoy. Somehow they had been warned that we were coming.  
I charged him, my sword and hidden blade creating a whirlwind of steel. I knocked his weapons aside and kicked him back into a wall. I ducked under his sword as it sailed for my head and deflected his knife to the ground, before hammering my sword guard into his face. He stumbled backward and I took advantage of his lowered defense, lunging forward, knocking a desperate blow aside and catching him fully in the stomach with my hidden blade.  
He gasped, his sword falling from his nerveless fingers, and then he crashed to the ground.  
I stooped over him, I needed to know how they had known of the attack, but he was fading fast.  
"How did you know that we were coming?" I said loudly, glaring at the dying man.  
He spat out a glob of blood and looked up to see Élise, Shay, Merlin and de Cavey join my side, all wore dark expressions.  
"Speak."  
He nodded. I almost let out a sigh of relief; finally one of Travert's men would talk.  
"I don't know a name," he started, before taking a deep breath, "but the call him the Lord of Rats."  
I glanced up at my companions, but they all shook their heads. None of them had heard of this so called 'Lord of Rats.'  
I looked back to the man under me, "Flamboyant. How do we find this lord?"  
"You can't…" he spluttered weakly, "find a ghost."  
I closed my eyes and sighed as the man breathed his last.  
"So," said Élise as I closed the dead man's eyes and rose to my feet, "now what?"  
"It would appear that we have another damned traitor," spat Alexandre de Cavey as he sheathed his sword.  
I shook my head, "Let's not jump to conclusions. At the very least we should try to discover is this 'Lord of Rats' actually exists."  
"Another lie from another honourless bastard," growled de Cavey.  
Merlin stepped up beside the former musketeer, "Whatever you think of Travert and his men, Arno is right, and you know it."  
After a few moments he crossed his arms angrily and nodded.  
"Have you got any ideas of where to begin our search?" said Shay, stepping forward, a thoughtful expression on his face.  
A smile pulled at the corners of my lips and I nodded, "There is only one man that I know who can find a ghost… or a rat," I sent Élise a wink, "you may recall a certain Marquis."  
She chortled, "You have got to be joking."  
"De Sade led us to le Peletier, a man who we thought would be impossible to reach."  
"I suppose you're right," she replied thoughtfully after a moment, "this Lord of Rats sounds like the sort that the new _Roi des Thunes_ attracts."  
"Those were my thoughts," I said, before chuckling, "and as I recall, the Marquis in question was quite sweet on you."  
Élise glared daggers at me and I laughed again, remembering de Sade's attempts of 'flattery'.  
And now we had a place to begin our search, it was time to greet the Marquis de Sade again, and hopefully, we would discover the whereabouts of the Lord of Rats.

iii

Two short days later I strode into the courtyard of the Marquis de Sade's new residence with Élise by my side. A few years ago, de Sade had lived in a great villa, filled with all kinds of exquisite luxuries, now however; he lived in a small almost impoverished estate. At first I hadn't believed that de Sade had become almost destitute, but as it turns out, he had. He had been imprisoned in 1793 and accordingly released one year later, not long after the fall of one Monsieur Maximilien de Robespierre, a man who had backed Germain's extreme ideals, and a man that with Élise by my side, I had brought down.  
During his imprisonment however, de Sade's villa had been ransacked by the revolutionaries during the Reign of Terror, not seeming to care that he had backed the underprivileged Third Estate. After his liberation from prison, he had been forced to sell the ruins of his once great villa for this much smaller estate. How the mighty had fallen.  
Despite this, he still held the title of _Roi des Thunes,_ the King of Beggars.  
And as such he may still be able to help us track down the Lord of Rats.  
I shared a glance with Élise, before knocking on the wooden door. 

The door opened and standing before us was the same man that I had met years ago. He looked a little older and more drawn, but still had the look of the eccentric nobleman that I remembered. He was quite for a moment, taking us in, before the same sly grin appeared on his face.  
"It has been quite some time, Arno," he said, before his gaze shifted to Élise and he gave one of his famous theatrical bows, "Ah, the years have not diminished your beauty," he took half a step towards her, and gave her a seductive look, "in fact they seem to have-"  
"De Sade," Élise said with annoyance in her voice, "we're not here for your games."  
He smiled at her again, taking another step towards her, "I can assure you that this is not a game."  
"De Sade," I cut in, glaring at the man before us.  
"So, what can I do for you?" his gaze lingered on Élise for a moment, before returning to me.  
"The Lord of Rats. What can you tell us about him?"  
"Ah, the Lord of Rats…" he gave me a smug smile, "he rose into power not long after the thieves almost destroyed each other last year," de Sade gave us a knowing look, sensing our involvement in the thieves war, "He controls the beating heart of Paris herself."  
I nodded thoughtfully, with the thieves guilds still recovering from their war, it would have been easy for a powerful individual to assume control.  
"You said he controls Paris," Élise said after a moment, "How?"  
The Marquis glanced back at Élise, a smile breaking out once again, "Where would you go to find a rat, my dear?"  
Rats could get into anywhere, so imagined that was where he got his name from, but where did he hide?  
"The sewers," Élise suddenly said, looking to me with a smile, "They run under most of Paris. The perfect place for a rat to hide, and through those tunnels he would have access to almost the entire city."  
I returned Élise's smile, damn she was good.  
"Precisely," stated de Sade, running his eyes over Élise. I felt my annoyance grow, just as our last encounter; the Marquis couldn't keep his eyes off her. "My birds have told me that you spent a lot of time in the taverns by the Seine docks in your youth."  
Élise looked back at de Sade, "I suppose that I did."  
"And I suppose that you spent a lot of time drinking and gambling," his seductive smile returned, "among other… indulgences."  
Fury lit up in Élise's eyes, "How dare you. Yes, I gambled, and yes I drank. A lot," she stepped up to de Sade and glared at him, her eyes burning into his, "But I have never been with anyone aside from Arno, nor will I ever break his trust."  
Despite the confrontation, I felt my heart lift as Élise admitted as much. I watched as she stepped back and I saw a dangerous smile come over her lips, "Besides which, how many times have _you_ committed adultery?"  
Monsieur de Sade grinned again, "Now that would be the question, wouldn't it?"  
I saw a sarcastic reply on Élise's lips, but I intervened before she could voice it. A thought had come to me, and there was something that our 'friend' was hiding.  
"How do you know so much about the Lord of Rats?"  
De Sade turned back to me with his same slightly cocky smile, "I happen to know the man."  
"You _what_?" spoke up Élise in annoyance.  
"Why did you not say that to begin with?" I added, glaring at de Sade.  
"You never asked," he said smugly.  
Élise threw her arms out in exasperation, before resting her hands on her hips and glaring at the man before us. I could see her about the flare up, the flames already dancing in her eyes. It was the Marquis to a point, always one to twist words in a way the suited him. Why say something in two words that you could twist into something that would take two hundred?  
" _Mon dieu,_ " spat Élise in disgust, "you complete bastard, de Sade."  
"If you had simply accepted my… offer," he replied with a grin, "you would be on your way to the court of rats by now."  
"You call that an offer?" countered Élise furiously, looking the man up and down, "What woman in their right mind would lay with you?"  
"Many have," he shrugged.  
"I am not talking of the insane," she replied sarcastically, "or those too young to resist."  
That hit de Sade hard; I could see him pale visibly. Élise had touched on a nerve it seemed. I would have to stop this before de Sade refused to help us anymore.  
"Alright, that's enough," I said and stepped towards the Marquis, "You mentioned the dockside gambling dens. At a guess, I would say that this Court of Rats is somewhere beneath the Seine."  
De Sade nodded, some of his colour returning, "The Lord of Rats holds his court just under the banks of the Seine, not far from the Hôtel de Ville docks."  
It was all starting to make sense, through the network of sewers, the Lord of Rats and his followers would be able to travel swiftly about the city. It was little wonder that they had ears everywhere.  
I nodded thoughtfully, "I don't suppose that you could help us gain an audience with the man himself?"  
De Sade looked from me to Élise and back again, "Consider it done my friend. I will send you a message when I have arranged a meeting for you."  
" _Merci_ ," I replied and tossed de Sade a small coin purse; he clearly needed it more than I did.  
We started to walk down the path away from the small estate when de Sade called out, his confidence returning, "After you meet with the man, Arno, be sure to return here with your charming companion."  
I chuckled as we walked away, before feeling Élise's elbow dig into my side. I looked at her glaring at me furiously, and started to laugh. The Marquis de Sade had not changed one bit.

6 November 1796

i

It had been almost a full month before a letter arrived from de Sade, informing us that the Lord of Rats would meet with us on the sixth of November. However, I was only permitted to bring two companions with me when I met with the man. I had given the matter much thought, and after meeting with my closest companions, I had chosen my group. Élise and Shay were to accompany me to the Court of Rats, since they had the most experience in dealing with gang leaders and corrupt nobles.  
I glanced around the small hidden room in the la Serre chateau as we readied ourselves for meeting this so called Lord.  
I belted on my sword and reached for my long blue frock coat, before slipping into it and shoving my pistol into its holster. I glanced down at my two wrist blades on the table before me and smiled, I had been on a long journey with them. I strapped my phantom blade to my left wrist, remembering when my former teacher, Pierre Bellec had done it during my initiation to the Brotherhood all those years ago. And then I strapped my hidden blade to my right wrist, the very blade that Haytham Kenway had used decades ago. Using his blade and being close friends to his son and Shay, made me feel as if I had a connection to the man himself.  
I turned back around just as Élise finished checking her sword and sheathed it, before strapping on her own hidden blade. And then Shay strode over, fully armed. We were ready, and I pitied anyone who got in our way.  
I looked from Shay to Élise, noticing the deadly thoughtful look on her face. I knew that expression well, it usually came before she made known a very good idea. She had thought of a way to meet with the Lord of Rats.  
"What is it?" I asked, giving her a smile.  
Élise glanced at the pair of us, a half cocky smile breaking upon her lips, "Neither of you have had much experience dealing with these kinds of people," she glanced at me, "de Sade being the exception. I know how to deal with men such as the Lord of Rats, I have been around his kind all my life, many of them wishing me dead."  
"You want to lead on this one?" I inquired, thinking it over. She was right in her statement, however, I had been hoping to keep her from the line of fire. But she was Élise de la Serre, keeping from a fight however, was not a very Élise de la Serre activity.  
Élise nodded, "Besides which, neither of you are used to manipulating these kinds of people. And I am. I have been surrounded by them since I was a girl."  
"Oh, I'm not used to manipulation?" I joked, sending her a wink, "I convinced you to marry me."  
Élise sent me a mock glare and smacked my arm.  
I sent her a grin, "I do agree with you though."  
"It will be unexpected to say the least," added Shay, the first hint of a smile on his lips, "I doubt that he will be prepared to parlay with a woman, even one such as yourself. You will have the man wrapped around your little finger before he knows it."  
He was right in that regard. I very much doubted that the Lord of Rats was accustomed to dealing with strong women such as Élise, and she was stronger than anyone that I knew. The man was in for a rude awakening, and I almost felt sorry for him.

The taverns and gambling dens along the dock front came with their usual stink, adding to the almost toxic smell of the river itself. I held an unlit lantern in my left hand, ready to help guide us through the maze below. It was almost midnight now, and many of the drunks were starting to make their way home, well attempting too. And yes, it did bring back some memories from my youth. A lifetime ago I would have been joining the drunks on the long walk back to the la Serre villa in Paris, preparing for another tirade from my foster father's majordomo, Olivier.  
A man in a drunken haze staggered into me, before gazing at me blankly. His ale infused breath almost made me gag with distaste; he had clearly hit the cups hard this evening. I have him a gentle shove, "On your way, my friend."  
I watched as he stepped away and started staggering back down the street. I doubted that he would be able to find his house before dawn in state he was in. Élise nudged my side and I turned to see her glancing at me mischievously, "Now, who does that remind me of?"  
"Well _you_ were a known drunk of some repute," I countered with a wink.  
Élise laughed, "Oh believe me, you were worse."  
"I must say that I have no idea what you are talking about."  
She smothered another laugh as I gave her a sarcastic grin  
I glanced up again as Shay strode over, amusement in his eyes.  
"The entrance to the sewer is just around there," he indicated to the next street.  
I could feel the anticipation in my chest as we rounded the bend and the grill that led to the network of sewers below came into sight.  
In moments I had picked the lock and drawn the grill back from the entrance to the sewers. I glanced back and my companions and gave them a cocky smile, "Let's go and catch a rat."

ii

I pulled out my flint stone and lit the lantern that I had brought, before holding it out before us with my left hand, my right hand resting on my sword handle, ready to draw the blade at a moment's notice. Élise and Shay were likewise on guard, even though we were here with the consent of the Lord of Rats, there was no knowing if it was all just a trap to lure us in. He had been working with Monsieur Travert after all. I pulled out the small map that Marquis de Sade had sent us with his letter, showing us the way to the Court. We must have walked for almost half a mile before we finally came to the path that the map said to take. There were drops of water falling from above us now and it was clear that we were beneath the Seine. We were getting close to the Court of Rats.  
Finally, after an eternity, a dull light came into view and I could make out the sound of voices. There was a shout from up ahead, and then the light was coming closer, the sound of footsteps, dozens of them, closing in on us. I shared a glance with my companions and drew my sword. This was it.  
We would soon see if de Sade had kept his word.

The light in front of us went out and we could hear the people coming ever closer. I didn't take my eyes off the dark mass that had now come within sight as the sound of swords and daggers being drawn came to my ears. They would be all over us in moments, and it was time to take a risk. We had agreed that Élise would be the one to take lead during the meeting itself, but these men wouldn't know her name. They would only know of mine from de Sade, and so it fell to me to get us through to the Court in one piece.  
I stepped forward and held my lantern up, "We are here to have an audience with the man who calls himself the Lord of Rats."  
I could make out the men before us now, covered from head to toe in rags, and bearing a wide range of swords, knives and daggers. One of them, more well dressed than the others, also had a pistol shoved through his wide belt. It was to him that I directed my words.  
"Aye," the man said, stepping closer, "and who are you exactly?"  
"My name is Arno Dorian," I didn't take my eyes off the man, "and my companions are Élise de la Serre and Shay Cormac."  
The man nodded, "My Lord did mention you, but said nothing of companions."  
I inwardly cursed; de Sade had told me to bring two others with me. Had he lied about anything else?  
"These are dangerous times," Élise cut in from my side, before smiling sweetly at the man, "and I would be most grateful if you would be so kind as to let us meet with your Lord."  
The man nodded again, his eyes drawn to Élise now, "Well, I suppose that it wouldn't cause any harm… and he didn't say anything about no companions either… even so."  
Élise fluttered her eyes and sent the man wink, and as last he caved.  
"Alright," he gave in, "I shall inform my Lord of your arrival."  
And just like that we were through. I sheathed my sword and sent Élise a quick grin; of course it would be her to get us out of trouble, as she had so often in our childhood. And since then she had learnt to use her beauty as a weapon. The man had stood no chance.

I could hear the roaring of a crowd as the man led us through a maze of corridors that had branched off from the sewers. They were well lit, and clearly no one had known of their existence, the entrance being completely hidden to the naked eye. Finally we were led through a final door and the fanatical screams of the crowd grew even louder. Before us, a huge gathering of people, all dressed in the same rags, were gathered in a circle around a huge cage. Two men, both only wearing breeches stood facing off in the cage. One was short but sinewy, the other huge, with muscles rippling over his body. Sweat glistened their bodies, as they circled each other. Seated at the back of the room, on a dais overlooking the fight was a man dressed in what looked like a former military officer's uniform. Two pistols adorned a belt over his chest and a sword was propped against the side of his chair. Clearly this man was the Lord of Rats. Two other well armed men stood by his 'throne', hands resting on their sword handles. The man himself was gazing down at the fight with a fire in his eyes.  
"Begin!" he bellowed, his gruff voice carrying around the room.  
And then the crowd roared deafeningly.  
I shot our guide a look and he shrugged, before joining in with the roar of the crowd. Before us, the fight had begun, the huge man lunging forward, ducking inside his opponent's defense and hammering his fist into his jaw. The man flew backward and crashed to the ground, before coming up to his feet with a snarl an instant later. He was a brave fool; the man he faced was bigger, faster and clearly more skilled. They exchanged a few blows, and then he was back on the ground. With a roar, the larger man jumped on him and started pummeling the man with his fists. I heard the sound of a nose breaking, and then blood erupted around the cage. The roars of the crowd intensified and the larger man stood up and bellowed, igniting the crowd once more. Blood covered the smaller man's face and he started to rise, before his opponent smashed his booted foot into his face. He crashed back to the ground, his head hitting the stones beneath with a meaty smack. The larger man looked up to the Lord of Rats and sent him a nod. I felt a sliver of dread run down my spine; I knew what was coming next.  
"What do you say? Shall we have blood?" roared the Lord of Rats.  
The crowd roared enthusiastically and I felt sickened at how easily a man was sentenced to death.  
"Kill him," called the Lord, gesturing to the fallen man.  
In an instant and larger man had pulled his opponent to his feet, locked an arm around his neck and then wrenched it. I could hear the crack as the man's neck broke and he crashed to the floor, never to rise again.  
The crowd roared again at their 'champion' as he raised his arms over his head.  
Our guide turned back to us and gave a nod. The meaning was clear, the fight was over, and now the Lord of Rats would see us.

As we were lead up onto the dais, the Lord rose to his feet, before bellowing down the crowd, "We have our champion!"  
The crowd roared again as he tossed the man a coin purse, before he turned and gesturing to our guide. I watched as our guide whispered something in our ear, making the Lord of Rats nod. He looked at us, a condescending smile coming over his face. He looked back to the Rats assembled before the dais, and then back to us.  
"Well, well. It seems we are entertaining royalty," he gave us a theatrical bow and the crowd roared with laughter. "Welcome to the Court of Rats, home to beggars and thieves, gentlemen of fortune and women of leisure."  
More laughter came from the crowd.  
"My name is-" I began, but our host cut me off.  
"I know who you are," he replied, waving a hand, "but never did I say that you could bring us more guests."  
"The King of Beggars informed me that I could bring two companions," I replied curtly.  
"Did he just… well if that is the case, then I will give you a chance to prove yourself worthy of an audience."  
The crowd roared excitedly again and I felt my annoyance grow.  
The Lord of Rats smirked as he saw my expression, "Or I could just kill you now."  
Damn de Sade and his schemes. No doubt this had been his intention the whole time.  
"What is the nature of this challenge?" inquired Shay, stepping up beside me.  
"He," he gestured to me, "will face my champion in the cage."  
"This should prove easy enough," I nodded. The man would not expect me to have the skills of a Master Assassin, so I doubted that the fight would last longer than a couple of blows.  
"However, you will be fighting him with this," the Lord of Rats grinned and pulled out a blindfold, "Win and you will have my full attention, lose and you all die."  
Without a blindfold, I had no doubt that I could easily best that man, but with one? That was another matter entirely.  
He had left us without a choice. I gritted my teeth and turned back to my companions, before reaching for the buckle of my sword belt.  
"Wait," said Élise from my side, her eyes filling with fire, "Is your 'champion' so pathetic that he can only fight weaklings like this?"  
There were some whistles in the crowd and the Lord of Rats laughed mirthlessly, "Well, well, what do we have here?"  
I cursed under my breath again. Élise had wanted to dish out some pain on someone for months. She wanted to fight someone without any aid whatsoever.  
"Élise," I whispered, placing a hand on her arm, but she shrugged it off and stepped closer to the Lord of Rats, a deadly smirk on her face.  
"My name is Élise de la Serre, daughter of François de la Serre," she said loudly, before pointing to the Lord, "and I challenge your so called 'champion'."  
The crowd roared at her bravado and the Lord of Rats turned to the crowd, "Shall we let them fight?"  
The roar grew louder and the Lord of Rats turned to us, a smug look on his face, "Very well, you will have your fight. Your opponent awaits you within the cage."  
Her opponent was the huge man that had just beaten his first challenger to a pulp and then snapped his next moments before. And now Élise was to face him.  
I felt dread tingle down my spine, the man was three times her size and covered in muscle.  
And there was no backing out of it now.

Élise unbuckled her sword belt and handed it to me, before doing the same with her hidden blade. She began tugging at the lacing and buttons of her vest, before slipping out if it and handing it to me. Her waist coat followed suit, and then she was just wearing her boots, breeches and white shirt. Élise turned to face us again with a cocky smile.  
Shay glanced at her, "He is far stronger and bigger than you. But your speed will be his undoing. Normally you should let him tire himself out, and then strike, but you will be without sight. You must end this quickly."  
"He's right," I nodded. Shay had grown up on the streets and had been forced to fight to survive. If anyone knew how to defeat a stronger and larger opponent in a fist fight, it was him.  
Élise just gave us another cocky grin, "Don't worry, I have this."  
"I hope that you live up to your words," the Lord of Rats handed the blindfold to Élise, "although, I wouldn't expect it."  
"Oh, it won't be that difficult," she replied, tying the blindfold tightly around her head, still with the same grin on her face, "I only need to direct my blows toward the smell of shit."  
The crowd roared with laughter, and I felt fear slide into my belly. Élise was a fierce fighter, but her opponent was skilled and far bigger than her. And now, she would be without sight.  
I clasped her hand briefly, and she sent me a smile, before turning back to the open entrance of the cage.  
One of the Rats came forward took Élise by the arm, before leading her through the narrow passage formed by the crowd, straight to the cage, and her opponent.  
The Rats champion laughed when she entered, "They sent a tiny girl to die for them?"  
"No," replied Élise with a sneer, "I have come to show them that you are no champion."  
"Oh, I'm going to enjoy this," he snarled back, before adopting a fighting crouch.  
Opposite him, Élise did not drop into hers, instead just balanced lightly on her toes.  
What was she up too?  
"Begin," called the Lord of Rats.  
The crowd roared and then the fight began.

Élise walked up to her opponent, almost begging to be punched. I couldn't see her eyes, but I knew that they would be blazing. The man roared and lashed out with a right hook, one that would have broken Élise's jaw if it had hit, but as fast as lightning; she had ducked the blow and hammered her own fist into his chin. With a snarl, he lashed out with his left, but Élise had already ducked out of range, the blow sailing passed. She quickly leapt back at her opponent and slammed her fists into his stomach, once, twice, and then smashed her third blow into the side of his head. The man staggered backward, before bellowing in outrage and charging at her. Élise threw herself into a roll, narrowly avoiding another right hook, before she came to her feet, hooked her leg through his, and sent him sprawling to the ground.  
She gave her fallen opponent a cocky grin, before beckoning him. The devil in her.  
The man leapt to his feet and charged at her again. I doubted that he would make the same mistake in thinking that Élise posed no challenge. He lashed out with his left fist and Élise ducked… straight into the path of his right cross. The blow caught her in the stomach and she staggered backward, and now he was on the attack. He rained down blows mercilessly, and Élise was barely able to keep out of range. I saw her move to counter a blow, but it was a well timed feint. Before she could move, the back of his right fist slammed into her check and sent her crashing into the wall of the cage. And then he was on her, shoving her up against the wall and hammering another punch into her stomach. She cried out in pain as he pinned her to the wall by her arms, and blood started to run from her split lip. I clenched my fists, if it started to look like he could seriously hurt her, I would put my phantom dart in between his eyes, even if it meant my death.  
I saw the man mutter something to Élise. And then I was her stiffen, whatever he had said had made her angry, _very_ angry.  
She slammed her forehead into his, and as he bellowed in outrage, she hammered her knee into his stomach. He staggered back a step and Élise managed to free an arm, before lashing out with her forearm and catching him across the face. He grunted in pain and then she was out of his grasp. She lashed out with a right hook and caught his chin, before sending her left fist in its wake. At the last moment he caught her left wrist. Before he could take advantage of the situation, Élise leapt into the air and wrapped her legs around his waist from behind, before encircling her right arm around his neck. She strained with all her strength, trying to end the fight. But he still had her by the wrist. His eyes bulged as she pulled harder, and then he leapt backwards and slammed her against the wall of the cage. Again and again he slammed her into it, and at last she fell from his back onto the ground. I started to move towards the cage, my heart catching in my mouth, but one of the Lord of Rats' guards stepped in front of me and aimed a pistol at my chest, before shaking his head. The message was clear, one twitch and I died. The other guard had Shay covered. There was nothing I could do but watch as the man hammered his boot into Élise's prone form, catching her fully in the side. She groaned in pain, before rolling away from his next attack. And then she was up against the wall of the cage again. Her opponent laughed and lashed out with his boot again. But Élise reacted faster than lightning. She rolled toward him, using the cage wall as leverage, and crashed into his legs, sending him to the ground. Right on top of her.  
He was on his back, and I could see him about to roll off her, ready to gain the advantage.  
And then Élise's legs appeared from under the man and wrapped around his torso. She wriggled more and then her upper body was free, her arms now both wrapped around his neck in a tightening grip. He struggled, but to no avail, he was stuck. He lashed out with his fists in desperation, and one caught her cheek, but it was far too late. Élise strained and pushed up with her waist, at the same time wrenching back with her whole upper body.  
She screamed, heaving with the last of her strength. And then her opponent's struggles ceased. Élise held him in that position for a few more moments, but it was clear now, he was dead. I felt my heart soar as she groaned and rolled out from under him, blood covering her face and rose to her feet, the blindfold now held loosely in her hand.  
Despite all possible odds, she had won.

iii

"So, what can I do for you?" inquired the Lord of Rats, before handing us each a cup of ale.  
It had been around ten minutes since Élise had beaten the Rats champion, and now we stood in the private rooms of the Lord of Rats himself.  
"One month ago, we made a movie against a man by the name of Émile Travert," I told him, "but before we could catch him off guard, he was informed of the attack. Informed by you."  
The Lord of Rats nodded, "That he was. Émile may not be the best of men, but our arrangement is lucrative, and it works. I was not going to see him dead," he smirked, "at least, not until a better off was made."  
As I had thought, the Rats didn't care about anything but money. But I was starting to see how this man had become their leader. He was deadly intelligent and ruthless to the letter. And through his theatrics, he could inspire those under his command. It was little wonder that he had risen so high, especially after the thieves had been left so weak.  
"So," Élise began thoughtfully, "you would turn your back on Monsieur Travert if we gave you a better offer? Did I get all that?"  
"Aye," the Lord of Rats gave us a wide grin, "that's about it."  
"How much are you suggesting?" asked Shay, glancing at me, before returning his gaze to our host, "what is your price?"  
The Lord of Rats raised an eyebrow and smirked, "You think money interests me? No, for me to come over to your side, I have a task for you to carry out."  
"Oh, and what's what?" I inquired. It would have to be something substantial or else he wouldn't ask us to do it.  
"Two months ago, one of my followers was captured by a rather unpleasant but high ranking member of the Directory," he started solemnly, "I tasked Émile with getting my friend out, and to this day, despite his vast resources, he hasn't been able to free him."  
"And where is your friend held?" spoke up Élise with a frown.  
"The Conciergerie."  
Ah, the very place that thousands of men and women had been held during the Reign of Terror, before being sent to the guillotine.  
Élise looked at the man incredulously, "That prison worse than hell. Only monsters like Robespierre leave in one piece."  
"I know that, my lady," he replied sarcastically, "all the same, Hughes is being held in that prison. It is one of the few places left in Paris that high ranking prisoners can be kept in secret. Now Hugues is being held within the eastern section of the prison, the same place that they held all the 'dregs of society' during the Reign."  
"That is true," I nodded thoughtfully, plans already forming in my head, "So, when we liberate your 'friend', you will join us against Émile?"  
A smug look came over his face as he chuckled, "Yes, that would be about it."  
I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see Shay standing between myself and Élise now, a hand on each of our shoulders.  
"I say that it is time that we introduce ourselves to the Conciergerie," he said with a glint in his eye.  
I grinned back. "I doubt that the layout of the former prison will have changed much since the Reign of Terror," I said. "So all we need to do is get our hands on a map of the prison itself."  
"Ah, a man with a plan," cut in the Lord of Rats with a smirk, "although yes, the layout will be the same for the Conciergerie, there are still a few dozen soldiers and prison guards posted inside, so you will need to deal with them before freeing Hughes."  
Élise returned his smirk, "We are good enough to not need to kill every last soldier inside before rescuing your friend, Monsieur."  
Our host roared with laughter, before looking to me, "Where did you find this one? She has more balls than most of my men."  
"Surprisingly enough," I replied with a grin, "in the palace of Versailles."

I pulled my small map of the interior of the Conciergerie from my waistcoat pocket as we crouched on a rooftop overlooking the former prison itself. The sun was starting to go down and the air was starting to chill, the first signs of fog starting to appear in the streets, illuminated by the street lamps. We quickly formed our plan and split up, we would have less chance of being spotted, and by have three entrances, if one of us got held up, the others could still get to Hughes. Even so, we had all aligned our pocket watches, and had set a time to meet before the eastern prison block itself.  
I dropped from the rooftop, each step bringing back memories from seven years ago when I had been imprisoned in the Bastille. Would the Conciergerie be the same? I silenced my mind, focusing on the task at hand. I peered ahead, taking in the four soldiers armed with muskets standing by the entrance to the Conciergerie, no doubt there would me snipers keeping them in sight in case an attack was made. As I had thought, the front was not an option. Instead I made my way towards the wide river that ran myself and the prison. I grinned, despite the fact that I would have to cross a river I wouldn't be getting shot at.  
I glanced back over at the guards, now barely in sight as they stood beneath the lights of their lanterns. In the dark, there was no way that they even had a chance of spotting me. I crouched and quickly wrapped my pistol and spare gunpowder in an oilskin, I may need it inside the prison, and I couldn't risk it not firing because of wet powder.  
I stood up and took a deep breath, before diving into the river.

Instantly the freezing water chilled me to the bone and I shivered. I glanced up at the Conciergerie looming over me, remembering my first leap of faith. I had just escaped with Bellec during the attack on the Bastille by the revolutionaries – would it be the same here? My former mentor had led me to the top of the Bastille itself, and then thrown himself from the safety of the walls into the waters of the moat below. After hesitating, I had followed.  
I shook my head to clear it, I had only a few minutes to be inside it's defenses. And without a second thought, I powered towards the far bank. It didn't take long for me to reach the far side, and when I did, I pulled myself up onto the bank. I unwrapped my pistol and heaved a sigh of relief, the powder had not been soaked through by the moat's waters. I loaded and primed it, before shoving the gun in my belt. I glanced up at the Conciergerie again, this was it.  
And with a grin, I jogged over to the wall of the prison, and started making my way up.

iv

I pulled myself up onto the flat ground of one of the wide walkways of the Conciergerie and flipped open my pocket watch, I had just over five minutes to get to the rendezvous point. I slipped it back into my pocket and jogged across the flat walkway, remembering the way to the eastern cells perfectly. I made my way over to a closed door that led into the Conciergerie itself and held my ear to it, the sound of two men talking came through the wood. Soldiers. I tenderly pulled on the handle of the door, but as I had thought, it was locked. I took a step back and did a very Élise kind of thing; I lashed out with my foot and kicked the door open.  
I balled my hands into fists as I dashed inside, taking in the two blue garbed soldiers sitting at the table before me. There was no reason to kill the two men, at least not yet. They were just doing their jobs, and besides, as Élise had stated, we were skilled enough not to have to kill every last soldier in the Conciergerie.  
Surprise lit up on the soldiers faces as they leapt to the feet and went for their swords. The first man crashed to the ground before he could draw his sword, my fist catching him in the chin. The second man put up a better fight, lashing out at my neck. I easily ducked the blow, before unleashing a devastating high kick to his chest. He flew backwards and crashed into the nearby wall, his sword ringing as it hit the stone ground. He aimed a clumsy right hook toward me as a last act of defiance, but I slipped out of the way, nimbly dancing behind the man and wrapping an arm around his neck. I squeezed and soon I was lowering him to the ground, not dead, but out for the count.  
There would be more guards in the rooms to come, I was sure of it. But I needed to go through this way to reach the inner sanctum.  
I rose to my full height and dashed through a small maze of rooms, taking a small flight of stairs down into another large room. Two long tables sat in the centre of it; no doubt the room was some kind of mess area for the soldiers stationed here. And as I had expected, more soldiers were in the room, standing around a table playing a dice game. They hadn't noticed me yet, good.  
I wanted to take them by complete surprise, and to do that I had to act fast. I pushed myself into a sprint and vaulted the first table. And then one of the men laughed and looked up at the sound of me vaulting the first table. His laugh caught in his throat as our eyes met, and then I charged forwards, my dart firing from my phantom blade.  
The dart punched into his shoulder, and as he fell backward, I leapt towards the group even as they spun to face me. But it was too late for the man closest, far too late. I quickly shot a hand forward, caught his arm, twisted it up behind his back and then slammed his face on the table. I heard him grunt as he passed out. One down.  
And then I was spinning amongst the next two men as they swung their swords at me. The first man fell as I ducked inside his reach and planted a devastating uppercut into his chin, sending him flying back across the room. I heard the whistle of a sword and leapt up onto the small table, facing my final opponent. He swung his sword at my legs, smart man. But as fast as lightning, I jumped over the blade, flipped behind the soldier and landed lightly behind the man. As he whirled around to face me, he sent out a wild swing of his sword. I quickly caught him arm and twisted it up behind his back. The man cried out in pain and dropped his sword. A cocky grin came over my face and I let go of his arm, before giving him a swift kick to the behind. He stumbled a few steps and them toppled over. I looked over at the table where they had been playing dice and snatched up the open bottle of wine. I grinned as the man rose to his unsteady feet and took a swing.  
"Not bad," I told him, giving him a cocky grin, "Although, you could have chosen a better year."  
His face turned red with anger at my cockiness and he charged toward me, his arms out stretched. Typical bloody solider, quick to anger, and easier still to take down when so outraged. I deflected his clumsy blow and then caught him across the face with my left forearm. He crashed to the ground, and just like that, he was unconscious.  
I took another swing of the wine and then placed it back on the table.  
"Terribly sorry gents," I muttered to the unconscious guards, before dashing toward the nearest door, opened it, and ran onto a small flat walkway. With the layout of the prison imprinted on my mind, I jogged to the edge of the walkway and peered down into the belly of the Conciergerie. Eight more soldiers were on the ground below, but luckily for them, I wasn't intending on using the ground entrance. I slipped over the edge and sped down the wall, using everything from overhanging beams to windowsills as handholds. After a few moments I reached a metal grill over a window, dropped down passed that onto the wooden platform of a former scaffold. I could see where I needed to go now, a small balcony that lead inside the Conciergerie, one of the few unbarred entrances.  
I dashed across the wooden platform and leapt onto the side of the wall. I scurried across it for a time, before leaping onto an overhanging beam, and from there I jumped onto the tiles of a small slanting roof. I continued across the roof and vaulted over the balcony railing. I smiled in satisfaction; I was now inside the corridor that led to the easternprison cells of the Conciergerie.

I glanced down the corridor, scanning for more soldiers. Two were talking down the hallway away from my position. Good. All the training that I had been given as an Assassin was about be put into use. I balanced lightly on the balls of my feet and started down the corridor, careful not to make a sound.  
I was gaining ground on the soldiers rapidly, they were no more than ten paces away now. One of them, the commanding officer, was a few paces in front of his companion. I curled my lip in distaste, clearly he was the kind who thought that he was above his men. I reached the first man and began my attack, silently wrapping an arm around his neck while the other covered his mouth. I squeezed harder this time, knowing that if he even got the chance to make one sound or move, his companion would be instantly alerted. Luckily for me, the soldier passed out in my grip without so much as a slight movement in my arms. I started to lower him to the ground, and then the officer turned and saw me, his smile dying on his lips. _Merde._  
I dropped the soldier to the ground and leapt in the officer as he went for his sword. We crashed to the ground in a pile, me on top. His lips formed into a snarl, and he was about to scream for help. I reacted fast, lashing out with my fist and catching the side of his face. The scream died in his lips and then I hit him again to put him to sleep. I breathed a sigh of relief as I stood to my feet; that had been far too close.

I continued on my way down the corridor, my senses on full alert, straining to pick up the sound of a soldier walking toward me. I peered down the hallway to the corner that led into a second passageway, the path to the dungeons. It got closer and closer, and I edged to the wall. I stopped as I reached the corner and glanced around it. Two more soldiers stood facing each other barely twenty paces away. They were talking in hushed tones, and I saw one chuckle. I grinned at their stupidity, they would have no idea I was on them until it was too late.  
I slipped around the corner and started toward the two men. I had managed to half the distance before they noticed me and drew their swords. Now for my little surprise.  
"Evening gentlemen," I called to them, continuing my way towards them.  
"Who the hell are you?" called the first guard, leveling his sword at me. I could see the surprise in his face at me addressing him. With any hope, he would be too surprised to call for help.  
I was right.  
"I'm here to pass on a message," I replied and held out my hands, open palms towards the men.  
"What message?" the soldiers glanced at each other nervously, one started to lowered their swords.  
I grinned, the stupid fools. I would not like to be them when they woke up with their commander peering down at them.  
"Just this," I gave them a cocky grin as they lowered their blades.  
Too late did they see my grin, and too late did they start to bring their swords to bear. I had already leapt between the steel.  
I sent the first soldier to the ground with an outflung leg, and them hammered my first into the jaw of the second man. He was out for the count before he hit the ground. I whipped around to face the first man just as he looked up, just in time to see my foot hurtling toward his face, and then with a dull thud, my boot connected and put him to sleep.

Finally I came into sight of the cells. I stopped and peered around the corner. Three guards stood in a small group talking amongst themselves. I could see passed the soldiers and my gaze came to rest on a man kneeling in the cell. He was wearing a ruined white shirt and black breeches. He looked in his mid forties, with long shaggy hair and the beginning of a rugged beard. He glanced up and our eyes locked.  
I sent him the briefest of nods, and his lips curled up into a quiet smile, he knew why I was here. The only problem being that three guards stood between me and the cell door. I flicked my eyes back to the soldiers, and the prisoner nodded to me, his intelligent eyes gleaming. He understood.  
He rose to his feet and looked to the guards, "Bring me some bloody food would you? I doubt your employer would reward you for letting your prisoner starve to death while you were on duty."  
As one the soldiers turned to face him. One, clearly the officer, strode up to the bars and sneered, "Look here lads, the wretch here thinks he's the king."  
The soldiers laughed, and one even spat at the man.  
"Charming," he wiped the spit from his cheek and glared at the man who had spat, "when I get out of here, you are a dead man."  
"Oh really?" the man stepped forward and dropped his hand to his sword, "remind me again when you can walk through steel and stone."  
He had drawn their full attention, and it was time to strike.  
I strode around the corner and had reached the group in moments. Once more my Assassin skills paid off and they didn't notice me until it was too late. I lashed out, my fist hammering the first soldier into a stone pillar beside the cell. His head hit the stone with a smack and I heard his nose break. He fell with a groan, unconscious before he hit the ground.  
The second man started to draw his sword but it was far too late, my outflung leg hooking behind his ankles and sending him toppling over. I spun around and smashed my boot into his face. Blood erupted from his mouth as he fell back to the ground. Two down.  
I turned to face the third, but found that the prisoner had used my attack to take the final guard by surprise, and as I watched his arm was around the man's neck through the bars of the cell, and was squeezing hard. The soldier's feeble struggles stopped, and then the prisoner let him go. The fight was all over in moments, all three soldiers unconscious on the ground. I started towards the cell door when I heard footsteps coming from behind.  
"Behind you," shouted the man even as I whipped around.  
Four guards were charging toward me, swords drawn. All pretenses of taking no lives had ended, now I only cared about surviving. I drew my sword and twirled it in my hand, daring them to attack, when I heard a shout from behind the guards. Suddenly Shay barreled out from around the corner and tackled one of the soldiers to the ground, before hammering down blows on the man with his fists. The soldiers turned to face the new threat even as Élise ran around the corner, a fire poker clasped in her hand like a sword. I grinned as she moved on the three remaining men, while a fire poker wouldn't kill the men, it would leave a nasty wound if it was in the right hands. And with Élise, it most certainly was.  
In a matter of seconds all three men were down for the count. Élise gave me a cocky grin and flipped the fire poker in her hand, before tossing it to the side.  
"Well, that was fun," she said, giving me a smile.  
I laughed, only Élise would find fighting with a fire poker amusing.  
I sheathed my sword, and crouched beside one of the soldiers, before pulling a ring of keys from the belt of the unconscious man and striding towards the gate of the guarded cell. I remembered everything that had happened during my two months imprisoned here, my training with Bellec first among them, but also discovering that my father had been an Assassin. I peered though the bars of the cell door, taking in the room before me. A man in a ruined white shirt and black breeches knelt in the centre of the room. He looked in his mid forties, with long shaggy hair and the beginning of a rugged beard.  
"Hughes?" I called to the man.  
He rose to his feet, noticing me for the first time. I could see that he was huge, well over six feet tall.  
"If I am?" was his reply.  
I smirked and opened the cell door, "If you are, then I am here to get you out. And if not, well, at least my day has been interesting."  
The man chucked and ran through the cell door, before taking up one of the dead soldier's swords. He turned to me, "So, how do you plan to get us out of this Hell hole?"  
"Just follow my lead, and you will be back with your friends before you know it."  
I grinned, the way out would be very interesting if all went to plan. With that, I pulled my hood back from my face and plonked a soldier's hat on my head.  
"Ah, so _he_ sent you then," spoke up Hughes, clearly figuring out that I hadn't come here on my own accord.  
"If you mean the Lord of Rats, then yes."  
"Arno," said Élise from my side as she walked over, gesturing to the unconscious men, "we have to leave before these come too."  
"Right," I nodded to my companions, "follow me."

I jogged through the corridors until I came to the open balcony. I peered down, my plan relying on the eight men still being down there. I smiled as I saw that the soldiers were still in the courtyard, good, this would be fun.  
"The prisoner is escaping," I shouted down into the courtyard, waving an arm to get the soldiers attention.  
I saw them look up to where I was, taking in my newly acquired military hat, and then with a shout, the men stormed towards the Bastille, thus clearing our way out of the former prison. I almost laughed at the irony; we would be leaving through the front gate as the soldiers searched for us inside the Bastille itself.  
I looked back to my companions with a cocky grin.  
"Well played," laughed Élise, giving me a grin.  
I gave them a theatrical bow, "Madame and Messieurs, I give you our way out."  
We all laughed for a moment, fore the sounds of running footsteps came from the stair well.  
"This way," I grinned, tossing my hat aside, and leapt over the railing onto the tiled roof.  
The prison break had gone exactly to plan, from the infiltration to the rescue and escape. I couldn't help but laugh at how easy it had turned out to be as I dropped lightly into the courtyard and started towards the front entrance of the Conciergerie.

"You have my thanks," said Hughes, walking to my side as we left through the newly unlocked prison door and walked onto the streets of Paris itself.  
I simply nodded and gave him a grin, "It was no trouble."  
"Even so…" he stopped and looked at me, "You are Assassins are you not?"  
 _What?_ How did he know that? I shot a glance at Élise who simply shrugged with an amused look upon her face.  
"Your robes gave it away, Monsieur," he grinned at my shocked expression, "or should I say, _Brother_."  
"You're an Assassin?" I inquired. If he was, why was he working for the Lord of Rats? The man was treading a very fine line between helping the poor and becoming a base criminal leader.  
"No… although my father was," he smiled sadly, "trained me how to fight and think like an Assassin, and given time, I would have joined the Colonial Brotherhood."  
Ah, so he was from America, at least to a point. His name was very French, and I could hardly make out the American accent in his voice.  
"What happened to your father?" asked Shay curiously.  
"He was murdered by a man he had once called Brother," Hughes shook his head, "I will have my vengeance upon a day."  
Élise placed a hand on his shoulder, "Just don't let revenge consume you as it nearly did me."  
I nodded, if not for Hélène, Jacques and Freddie Weatherall, Élise would have been fully consumed by grief and rage, and she would barely be a shell of the woman she was today.  
Hughes gave her a smile and then glanced at me, his grin spreading, "Enough about that, let's meet with my employer and then the drinks are on me."

v

"So, you survived then," said the Lord of Rats when we arrived back with our charge in tow. We stood in his court on top of the dais overlooking the cage. A dozen or so of his followers were moving about the Court, paying us little or no interest. A woman of around thirty with ebony hair stood by our host's side, and much like Élise, she carried a sword at her side.  
I nodded back and gave the Lord of Rats a grin, "We had little trouble getting passed the guards."  
He smiled smugly, "Well, what do you expect? It was near empty."  
"Mostly," came a sarcastic voice from beside the Lord. It was the dark haired woman.  
"Yes…" I replied with a hint of amusement, "mostly."  
"Where are my manners," chuckled the Lord, before indicating his companion, "Allow me to introduce to you Mademoiselle Claire Lacombe."  
"It is a pleasure," she said with a smile, before looking Élise up and down, "It is good to see that I wasn't the only woman fighting during the Revolution."  
"I thought that I had heard your name somewhere before, Red Rosa…" Élise smiled back, "You helped form the _Société des Citoyennes Républicaines Révolutionnaires_ did you not?"  
"That I did," she grinned, "but I also took part in the fighting as well. It isn't just a game for men, you know."  
Élise laughed, "Where would be the fun in letting them do it all?"  
I chuckled, aside from Julie de la Serre, Alessa, Sophie Trenet and Aveline de Grandpre, I knew no other women who had taken up the sword. It would appear the Élise had found a kindred spirit.  
Shay stepped forward, and shot me a glance, "And what of Travert?"  
"Ah, Mr Cormac," the Lord of Rats chuckled mirthlessly, "you will get your reward for your services soon enough."  
I saw Hughes stiffen at the name and glance at his master with a look of surprise. I saw the glint in the Lord of Rats eyes and new instantly something was wrong. De Sade had sent us here, his scheming nearly getting us killed. Next, the Lord of Rats had sent us into the Bastille itself to rescue one of his followers, a Frenchman raised in America, with the skills of an Assassin.  
"You told us that you would give up your backing for Émile Travert upon our return," cut in Élise, "Now, I suggest that you deliver on that particular promise, or I may get angry. And you do not want that, Monsieur."  
The Lord of Rats laughed once again, "Ah, you would do well with us here, Mademoiselle de la Serre."  
"It's _Madame_ de la Serre," she shot back, her left hand now resting on her sword hilt, "Where is Émile Travert?"  
I inwardly begged her to be careful. I knew that out of all of us, she had the most experience dealing with men such as our 'host', but the Lord of Rats was not a person that should be angered.  
Even as I watched, anger lit in his eyes.  
"Oh, _Madame_ is it?" he bowed sarcastically, "I humbly apologize."  
"Of course you do…"  
"I thank you for your services in freeing my ally."  
Ally? Not follower? I was instantly on guard, my hand dropping to my sword hilt. What the Hell was going on?  
The Lord of Rats gave me a patronizing smile, before turning to Hughes, who had his eyes locked on Shay's. I could see a hidden anger in them.  
"The die have been cast, and we must see this game to its bitter end," the Lord told Hughes, "Monsieur Gaultier."  
Suddenly all the people in the Court snatched up a variety of swords, knives and pistols and surrounded the dais, glaring up at our small group. We were outnumbered by over ten to one I realized, there was nothing we could do but surrender. The Lord of Rats crossed his arms and grinned at us smugly, and to his side Claire drew her pistol without hesitation. Whatever kinship she had shared with Elise, was clearly over. This had been a set up all along. Élise had been right; we never should have gone to de Sade for help. The bastard of a Marquis had turned on us, but why? We had been allies of a sort.  
And then it came to me. Ever since he had seen Élise, he had been almost obsessed. No doubt he had made some kind of sick deal with the Lord of Rats… when I got my hands on him…  
Élise bumped into my side and brought me back to the situation, we were trapped with no escape, and there was no way that the three of us could take out nearly two dozen opponents.  
Hughes drew his own sword and pointed its tip towards Shay, "You may have heard my name before, Mr Cormac, after all, you turned traitor and killed my father."  
"No… you can't be," Shay looked at him in horror, and I could see his mind piecing everything together. His face turned white as recognition flashed across his eyes, "You're Chevalier's son."

12 November 1796

i 


End file.
